Speaking Freely
by Directionless Angel
Summary: There are anomalies in the space-time continuum again. Sans has no memory of it, but something tells him he should do his job as a sentry today. If he could find someone capable of fixing his mistake, none of them would have to be kept on repeat.
1. Chapter 1

There is a fallen human on a bed of yellow flowers at the very end of the Ruins. They are unconcious, quiet as they lay there.

A yellow flower unlike the others pops out of the ground. It watches silently, soon a grin spreading on its face before it dives into the ground again.

The human wakes up, a little dizzy as they look around the room. It's the beginning of a cave system with sunlight entering from the hole on top. They only look up for a moment before standing.

Determinedly, the human walks through the gate at the end of the room. Darkness awaits them, only a spot of grass in the middle of the next room. The yellow flower pops out again.

"Howdy. I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower."

Despite the flower not recalling a thing, the human already looks bored. As if they've heard this all before.

.

It's sometime in the morning when Sans blinks his eye sockets open. It doesn't feel like he's gotten much sleep at all. Even though he spends 7 hours a night in his room, he keeps falling in and out of sleep – sometimes not getting a wink of it.

As Sans sits up, he groans. There's a lot of work to be done... Although, he can already feel something's wrong. Sigh. That can only mean _more_ work.

And Papyrus calls him lazy.

After he gets out of bed and changes into his usual clothes, Sans glances at the sheets he's bundled up with his magic last night. It was probably to kill time, but it doesn't make much sense to him when he's fully awake. He sometimes does strange things while sleep deprived.

Finally, Sans steps out of his room, not even considering cleaning it even if it is a mess. It's too much effort when there's no point anyway. There's noise coming from the bottom floor as soon as he's out.

"SANS! ARE YOU FINALLY AWAKE?"

It's Papyrus' bold tone coming from the kitchen. The taller skeleton is quick to step out into the living room, now facing his brother, who's still upstairs. Sans lazily leans against the wall as he looks back.

"mornin'."

There really isn't any effort in his tone and Sans wears his usual grin. It doesn't impress Papyrus.

"YOU LAZYBONES... I'VE BEEN HERE MAKING BREAKFAST WHILE YOU WERE SNOOZING."

Sans shifts, yawns, then starts to head down the stairs with his slippers tapping against the steps.

"that so? is it spaghetti?"

"HOW DID YOU GUESS?"

Papyrus enters the kitchen and steps right back out with a plate of steaming spaghetti. It's just been cooked. Sans guesses the kitchen is a mess right now.

"id love to stay for breakfast, but i gotta go work."

Even if it is Papyrus' cooking, Sans tries to discreetly avoid the endless plates of spaghetti sometimes. After all, his brother still needs training in that area... Lots of training. Besides, he does actually have to work.

"WHAT'S THIS? ACTUALLY GOING TO DO YOUR JOB FOR A CHANGE?"

Papyrus' tone isn't mocking, but rather genuinely doubtful. Sans heads for the door while answering the other skeleton.

"i gotta do it sometimes, dont i? i'll be at my sentry station if you need me."

"ERR... THIS MIGHT TAKE ME A WHILE."

Papyrus will surely be stuck cleaning the kitchen for a good while, like he says. Sans waits a moment, watching as Papyrus gathers his cleaning supplies. He waits until his brother's back is toward him, then finally steps out the door.

When Sans steps out, instead of the outside, he actually lets himself into the room that really shouldn't exist in the manner it does. He lets himself into his lab – he's simply able to enter it from the front door.

.

After looking at his collective data, he notices that the timeline has been altered again. Several disturbances have happened, but yet he has no memory of it. Not even a vague sense of deja vu.

Sans sighs and massages his temple with his bony fingers. He has no memory, so he can't know who's responsible for all these changes. He knows that despite being unable to himself, there is at least one monster who can affect time. But he can't know if this yellow flower is responsible for the changes this time.

The fact that he still remembers the flower tells him something, though. He should be at his sentry post today of all days.

Sans opens the laboratory door and acts like it's nothing but usual when he emerges in a different place again. He's in the snowy forest outside town, out of view.

.

It's extremely boring at his station. There's no reason to tend to the others, since this one is right by the exit from the Ruins. If a human will pass through, it will be from here.

Sans rests his cheekbone into his palm. He's been sitting here for a long time and each minute seems to pass slower. He could almost fall asleep in this serene environment...

When he's about to actually doze off, Sans suddenly hears the snow crunch. He blinks once, then turns to gaze toward the sound. He sees Papyrus approaching from the distance with something in his hands.

As he gets closer, it becomes obvious it's a plate of spaghetti. Of course.

"SANS, I HOPE YOU'RE NOT SLACKING!"

Papyrus is instantly ready to scold him as he reaches the sentry station, then lowers the plate in front of his brother on the 'counter top.' Sans' eyes dart down to it.

"you know me, bro. just resting my sockets."

Sans doesn't bother to argue. It's much easier to agree, since it helps him keep the things Papyrus doesn't need to know under wraps.

"SANS! UGH... WELL, IN ANY CASE, I brought you some breakfast. I CAN'T HAVE YOU LOSING YOUR STRENGHT BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T EATEN! TAKE YOUR JOB MORE SERIOUSLY."

"thanks, pap. since you brought me this, i might as well take my lunch break now, right?"

Sans' permanent grin suddenly seems extremely irritating to Papyrus, who openly frowns as well as a skeleton can.

"I GIVE UP!"

Papyrus raises his arms in the air as if waving a white flag. Meanwhile Sans grabs the fork at the edge of the plate and starts to eat his food... Guess he's not avoiding spaghetti today. At least it's slightly better than last time. Almost edible.

.

It's much later that Sans still sits at his station. Papyrus and the spaghetti are both gone at this point. The boredom is getting a little too much.

"might as well go see if _shes_ there..."

Not seeing the need to use his magic, Sans walks from his sentry station to the door deeper in the woods. The door to the Ruins of their old capital, "Home." Once he reaches it, he leans his back to the door and sits down, then lazily knocks on it with his knuckles.

Since he gets no response, Sans sighs. The lady he usually jokes with through the door isn't there today. Oh well. There's no reason he can't sit here either way.

Once again, as he sits in that position for a prolonged time, he starts to feel drowsy. He wishes he would feel this drowsy in his own bed... However, he's been unable to sleep properly for a long time.

Ever since he's started feeling like there's no point in trying anymore, he's started to sink into a depression that takes away his sleep. He still maintains the habit of resting in his room for an appropriate amount of time, but it really isn't much help.

Because of all this, Sans unintentionally falls asleep in crucial places. Even now, as he's supposed to survey the area for humans, he accidentally slips into unconciousness.

.

Sans stirs awake when he thinks he hears muffled voices. He wonders for a moment where they're coming from, then remembers where he is. The voices are coming from behind the door he's leaning against. Only one of them sounds familiar.

When footsteps start to approach the door, Sans slowly stands up. Is whoever's approaching about to come through? He decides not to take a risk and teleports out of the way, in the middle of the densely packed trees, away from the clearing. The space around him, to anyone seeing it from the outside, flashes black as he does.

The door opens not long after. A human in a striped shirt steps out and the door closes right after them. They don't even turn to look at it again.

Sans is shocked only for a second or two. The instinct right after that is the knowledge that he has to kill that human, and he numbs himself, following that instinct mindlessly. Before he's even realized it, his eyes have become devoid of their usual light as he quietly follows this human in the direction of his sentry station.

He sneaks around, he breaks a sturdy branch with his magic. He manipulates what the human can see and teleports to confuse them. However, he never musters the proper intent to try and kill them.

While Sans does this, he weighs his options – watching their back from afar. It would be too easy to end them, to show himself and to attack, but...

" _If a human ever comes through this door... Could you please, please promise something?"_

The words of that woman echo in his skull. He needs more time to think.

This human could be the last soul Asgore needs. Yet, he can't bring himself to kill them. Not that it matters even if he does. For all he knows, he might've seen the surface world many times by now.

There is always somebody to reset it all, isn't there? And Sans knows it's all his fault.

* * *

 _[A/N] If there's something specific you want to see or are curious about, drop a review. Fix my spelling mistakes also, please._


	2. Chapter 2

" _If a human ever comes through this door... Could you please, please promise something? Watch over them, and protect them, will you not?"_

Sans' footsteps crunch against the snow as he walks toward the human child standing on the bridge. They're standing still up until he reaches them, even if he's not even using his magic on them.

 **"Human."**

He adopts a creepy tone to startle the human. However, without having time to finish what he is about to say, the human already turns around to face him.

He easily rolls with it, extending out his left arm for a handshake. They shake his hand with their own, and in the process trigger the embarrassing sound from the whoopee cushion on Sans' palm.

The human chuckles dryly, either nervous or nettled.

"heh, the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick..."

Even if the human fell for it, something about their reaction has Sans feeling off. He pulls his hand back and returns it into his pocket.

"wait a sec... have you heard it before or something? you dont look that surprised..."

"I'm going to tell you the truth."

Sans is caught off guard this time.

It's a strange sentence to leave the human. They're addressing him like they already know Sans, completely familiar and unafraid. _Especially_ for a human, it's strange. But as soon as it's said, Sans does know one thing. This isn't the human's first time in the underground.

"...are you usually this forward?"

Sans doesn't even alter his tone. He knows first hand time travel is a thing. He knows it's possible for there to be someone who's already lived through all the events he himself has yet no knowledge of.

He doesn't know if this human child is a friend or an enemy, but he has no choice but to address them like he would in the present. Unlike them, the present is all he has.

"Usually I barely get a word in. But I want there to be at least one time where I tell you the truth."

Sans realizes what they're saying is something self-indulgent. He realizes it's something "off-script," something that would provoke an unusual answer from him. He briefly wonders if he usually says all the same things when this human, still supposedly, goes back in time. He must, right?

He would probably respond differently if he didn't see Papyrus' red scarf flash in the distance. He doesn't know how much this child knows about him, but Sans is secretive by nature. He doesn't do things in the open.

Since he's unaware of what the child knows, he says what comes naturally to him.

"...im supposed be on watch for humans right now. but... y'know... i dont really care about capturing anybody."

The human looks disappointed, but Sans carries on.

"now my brother, papyrus... he's a human-hunting FANATIC. hey, actually, I think that's him over there."

The human looks over their shoulder, also seeing Papyrus now. He's hard to miss.

"i have an idea. go through this gate thingy. yeah, go right through. my bro made the bars too wide to stop anyone."

Sans notices the human goes along with whatever he says for now, but there's a knowing expression on their face. They still smile at his jokes and silly remarks, but through that, he keeps reading their expressions.

Are things playing out like they usually would? Besides those cues he sees on their face, Sans can't be sure.

.

Papyrus has gone on his way and Sans is left alone with the human again. Papyrus doesn't fail to cheer Sans' mood, but he still doesn't know what the human wants, exactly. It leaves him slightly unnerved.

"ok, you can come out now."

The human steps out from their hiding place behind the conveniently-shaped lamp. They don't look like they're about to leave, rather look toward Sans nervously.

"you oughta get going. he might come back. and if he does... you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes."

"I'm sorry about resetting again."

Sans just looks at them in return. Even if he knows time has been altered, he doesn't have the kind of ability that lets him travel through it himself. But since this kid is apologizing to him, he must've said something to them. In another time.

He knows he's powerless against someone who can rewind time. But he also knows he doesn't remember a thing about this kid, or any "future" he might've partaken in. There is not much for him to say.

"i don't know what youre getting at, kid. anyway... hate to bother ya, but can–"

"...Can I do you a favor? Your brother has been kind of down lately. He's never seen a human before, so seeing me might just make his day."

The human finishes his sentence for him, and it makes him go quiet. They even continue after it to what Sans was still somewhat hesitating to suggest. They must've been through these same events so many times they remember in exact detail what Sans is going to say. Suddenly he feels like there's no point to engaging in conversation.

"if you already know what im going to say, there isn't much point to this."

Since they are being so straight-forward about it, Sans decides to address it. He doesn't know what to expect from this human, but they seem to know a lot about what's going to happen either way.

The human still looks troubled, now standing in front of Sans to face him.

"I don't only know what you're going to say. I know that because you ask me to cheer him up, Papyrus will make me go through a bunch of puzzles in Snowdin, then I fight him. He uses a "blue attack" that weighs my soul toward the ground. I know if I flirt with him, he'll take me on a date and then says he likes me platonically. I know he won't capture me properly–"

"...if you know all this, then you know telling me it now ultimately wont matter. because if you know all this, you've already been through it before. and though you've been through it before, you've decided to come back all the way here. to erase everything you've already experienced."

Sans pauses when the human's face is filled with shock. He continues.

"and since you've gone back at least once, i imagine youre going to do it again... since at that time i wont remember we ever had this conversation, this conversation is deemed pointless."

Through the whole explanation, Sans maintains his casual tone. He doesn't see a reason to strain himself.

"because you're someone who already knows everything i'm going to say anyway, i might as well go interact with someone who doesn't."

Irritated by this human, Sans doesn't bother to mask his teleportation. With a flash of black, he disappears.

.

He lies on his back on the mattress in his room. Teleporting such a long way so suddenly has left Sans somewhat exhausted as he stares at the ceiling, even if he had that spaghetti earlier.

If the human already knows what's going to happen, at least the polite thing to do is to pretend they don't. Oh well. Soon enough Sans' irritation would be erased again anyway, so the pointlessness of the situation descends upon him, nulling the feeling entirely.

He doesn't know if it would be worse to remember, or to keep going like this. Every time there's an anomaly, he can find out about it. Yet, he'll never be in on what has changed and why. Not in any lasting way.

At least if he'd remember, it would techically be a new experience every time. But then again... If those who rewind time would do something horrible, he'd have to keep remembering that as well.

To add, if it would be only him that has to go through this endless cycle, he wouldn't feel the same way about it. If it's only him, with no Papyrus, he could just...

No, that's probably taking it too far. It would probably take much more than that. Even if he's alone, he can't see himself resorting to that.

Speaking of Papyrus, he finds it even more annoying that the human is actually toying with his brother. They remember everything Papyrus will say and do, but keep going through it. At least Papyrus doesn't know. Sans hopes to keep it that way.

Maybe he should go keep watch on the human after all. He has other work he can do, but he prefers spending time with his brother. Even if he has to deal with that kid, too.

He peers toward the drawer where he's placed his lab key. When the human arrived, there had been a thought that occurred to him. That if they would prove themselves to be a good person, then maybe... Maybe he'd see if they could help him correct a mistake.

But if that human has gone through all those events that he thinks of as "maybes..." Clearly there really is no going back. If they were the right person to help him, they already would have.


	3. Chapter 3

Since he's abused his magic so much that day, Sans decides to visit Grillby's for brunch. It should restore his energy if he just eats something.

After greeting everyone, he settles into his usual spot at the counter. Due to his easy-going attitude and tendency to make (bad) jokes, he's unintentionally become popular in the underground. Even though he's clearly just there for food today, people instantly sit next to him to chat.

Papyrus would probably give anything to be in his position. To have people chat him up and just be happy to see him. Sans doesn't mind the attention, but he doesn't hold the same adoration for it. He just likes to make people laugh.

"...so what did you say to the snowman then?"

A small crowd of other frequent customers has gathered around him. Sans leans back in his chair and shrugs, his grin fitting for someone telling a silly story.

"i told him he really oughta _cool down_ and _snow_ man up."

Even though the story isn't even that funny, the monsters around him erupt into brief fits of laughter. It's surprising to him that his jokes actually work so well. Maybe people think they're so bad they're good? As long as they'll laugh, he doesn't care. He genuinely enjoys making puns, anyway.

He finishes his burger and gets up, says his goodbyes and tells Grillby to put it on his tab, then leaves.

Sans feels replenished after his meal and decides to walk a little bit for a change. Knowing Papyrus, he's found a way to entertain the human child by himself. He's not in a rush.

A thought starts to nag at him at the back of his mind. He should really visit his basement laboratory again, check if there has been new changes. He pushes that thought away, deciding there's not any need to know right now. At least it couldn't be that big, since he still remembers the human.

Before he knows it, Sans has walked to the bridge leading into the forest.

Since, despite its looks, the bridge is actually made of stone, it's very sturdy as it holds the familiar human on it. With his hands in his pockets and a grin on his face – as usual – he approaches the scene with mild curiosity.

"BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!"

Papyrus is also there – he's standing by the end of the bridge, a crazy-looking trap with different weapons (and a dog) hanging off it descending between him and the human. Another capture effort that would probably fail. Sans knows his brother is too soft-natured to actually capture a human.

"WHEN I SAY THE WORD, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE!"

The human is waiting on the other end of the trap, only losing their focus when they finally spot Sans. They look surprised, even from afar.

"CANNONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL... WILL..."

Papyrus seems to notice the human's attention has shifted and feels slightly insulted by it. He looks where the thing that has stolen their attention supposedly is, then forgets about the moment of impoliteness right away.

"SANS! FINALLY YOU DECIDE TO SHOW UP! SHEESH! DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AROUND HERE?"

Sans is slightly amused by what he hears and closes the rest of the distance at his own pace. Eventually he settles next to Papyrus on the edge of the cliff and glances at the trap, then at the human.

"i was on a legally-required break."

He winks as he says that, purposefully teasing his brother.

"whats this, papyrus? looks like you're not ready to _bridge the gap_ between you and your pal here."

"AUGHH! NEVERMIND YOUR PUNS, SANS! FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE SIGHT OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS ABOUT TO CAPTURE A _REAL HUMAN_!"

"a human, huh? that's new."

"YES, although it took me some time to actually realize... AH! WELL, NO MATTER! NOW THAT I HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR, I WILL NO DOUBT SUCCESSFULLY CAPTURE THEM!"

Papyrus focuses on the human instead of his brother now, posing heroically as he continues his monologue.

"HUMAN! ONLY THE TINIEST CHANCE OF VICTORY WILL REMAIN! ARE YOU READY!? BECAUSE! I! AM! ABOUT! TO DO IT!"

A moment of silence follows and Sans throws a curious look toward his brother, then turns to him fully.

"well? what's the holdup?"

Papyrus has turned his back on the human and looks reluctant. Figures.

"HOLDUP!? WHAT HOLDUP!? I'M... I'M ABOUT TO ACTIVATE IT NOW!"

They both turn back to the human, and Sans waits in silence for a few beats. Nothing's happening. Welp, he's not gonna remain quiet forever.

"that, uh, doesn't look very activated."

"WELL!"

Papyrus nearly shouts over him. It's obvious to Sans the other doesn't actually want to do it. Hurting people isn't like him at all.

"THIS CHALLENGE! IT SEEMS... MAYBE... TOO EASY TO DEFEAT THE HUMAN WITH."

The taller skeleton is keeping his 'eyes' averted so he doesn't have to face Sans' grin or the human's expectant gaze. A moment later he gains back some of his vigor.

"YEAH! WE CAN'T USE THIS ONE! I AM A SKELETON WITH STANDARDS! MY PUZZLES ARE VERY FAIR! AND MY TRAPS ARE EXPERTLY COOKED! BUT THIS METHOD IS TOO DIRECT! NO CLASS AT ALL!"

If Papyrus is good at something, it's convincing himself of his faulty thought processes. Sans almost envies that ability. He also can't help but admire Papyrus' kindness, even now.

"AWAY IT GOES!"

The Royal-Guard-in-training looks instantly a lot happier as the contraption rises high up into the air, out of their sight. Papyrus turns his back on the human to sigh out of relief, then realizes they're probably still looking at him and waiting. He quickly spins back around.

"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!? THIS WAS ANOTHER DECISIVE VICTORY FOR PAPYRUS! NYEH! HEH! ...HEH?"

With that, he quickly rushes away from the scene, probably a tad embarrassed he couldn't go through with his plan. Sans guesses his brother isn't too upset by it and turns to look at the human instead.

They seem to be smiling, although their expression is a bit broken.

Seeing that expression irritates Sans again. Even if (because of the way he is) he can't judge, he finds this human selfish for showing such an expression. He doesn't know why they rewind time, but it doesn't matter. They keep doing it over and over again, and if they keep acting the way they are now, Sans doesn't want anything to do with them.

Because of this, as soon as the human starts to approach him, he turns his back on them in order to walk away.

"No, wait! Sans, please! I need to talk to you!"

The human's footsteps have become quicker and there's a level of desperation in their tone. They've burst into a run. Sans stops, back still to them, and they follow his example. Clearly the fact he's probably decided to listen at least for a bit instantly relaxes them.

"fine. what is it, kid? don't make this one a waste of time, too."

He turns around as he speaks and the human's expression lights up.

"Alright, I promise. And I know I'm going to come off really strong, so I'll just apologize right now for it... I know I'm still a stranger to you, but in another time, we... We were friends."

Sans sighs at that and runs his hand over his skull. It does make sense he would have made friends with them at one point. After all, it does come easy for him.

"ok. we may have started on the wrong slipper... i don't think i actually have that much of a bone to pick with ya right now."

Of course, it is a partial lie. But if there's nothing he can do about the situation, holding this resentment won't do him any favors. The human smiles.

"I didn't expect you to get angry before. It surprised me a little..."

They trail off, looking toward the ground almost wistfully.

"It's selfish of me to want to skip so many things just to be straight-forward. But I can't help my curiosity. If I keep doing what I usually do, I won't find the answers I'm looking for."

There's determination in their voice and they clench their hands into small fists.

"For some reason, this time... I feel like I have more freedom to do what I truly want to. So please, will you help me?"

Sans thinks on it for a moment. They were friends in another time, huh? After the shock from their first collision, the kid doesn't seem as bad as he first thought. But, he still doesn't know them personally right now.

"...how about i think about it, kid. as much as i'd like to trust your word, it just ain't enough right now."

He shrugs as he speaks, leaving the human a little less confident.

"Y-yeah, that makes sense. Okay. I'll stay in Snowdin, so whenever you've decided..."

"...i'll make sure ent- _ice_ you with my thoughts."

Sans finishes their sentence with a bad pun, winking again. The human pauses, then nods. After a moment of standing there in thoughtful silence they breeze past him into the town. He watches the back of their striped shirt for a little bit, then turns to gaze at the view from the cliff. Snowy forests extending into deep darkness.

It's an odd circumstance, but what can he expect from a human fallen into the underground? Even if he has no memories of them, he has a strange feeling that something is very different from usual.

* * *

 _[A/N] This is the first chapter I genuinely enjoy._


	4. Chapter 4

In the time the human is taking getting settled in Snowdin, Sans spends a lot of _his_ checking up on them.

The human excitedly converses with anyone they run into. They make friendly acquaintances easily because of their smile and curiosity. For many people, children are very easy to like.

What Sans knows of human children, this one could be aged anywhere from nine to thirteen. They wear a red ribbon as a hair band and carry a plastic knife in their hand. Their signature child's-striped-shirt is blue and pink.

Their outward traits don't give Sans much information about them. He has no way of knowing whether the manner they act in is honest or if they truly treat this life like a game. Someone who keeps resetting time can't be as innocent as this person seems.

Eventually they book themselves a room from the Inn. Sans watches from the window as they climb up the stairs, then walks away toward his house.

He enters through the front door but his path leads him into his basement instead. The door closes after him, shutting him into the small lab once more.

"how do i know you're not fooling me, kid..."

He sighs to himself as he opens one of the drawers and takes out his laptop. He goes through the files quietly, looking at the newest results.

 _no changes yet, huh? but i still don't know if you've tried this before..._

He opens a different folder. There is a small number of notes labeled "important" in it, but he doesn't like going through those. He doesn't like writing them. However, this time he has to.

.

Sans has spent much longer in his basement than he intended to. His laptop is humming on the counter while he's silently going through a photo album.

He flips the pages slowly, carving all these people deeper into his memory. When he reaches the last page with pictures on it, he stops moving completely.

It's a picture of him, Papyrus, (Toriel?), Alphys, Asgore, Undyne, and... The human. They're all by the barrier locking them in this place. It's shattered.

He looks happy.

He closes the album a bit harder than he meant to, then shoves it back into the drawer. That's exactly why he didn't want to check. A very short wave of bitterness washes over him.

As he's about to shut the drawer again, he notices the card that's accidentally slipped out of the album. It should be tucked by the back cover. He reaches for it, then lays his eyes on the text.

 _don't forget_

He flips it around. On the other side are three poorly drawn people. Despite the message, he'd almost forgotten.

.

When Sans finally emerges from the basement by the area leading to Waterfall, the human is already out of the Inn again. It makes sense, since it's not even nighttime yet. Heck, it's still pretty close to lunchtime.

He sees the human is now outside his house and decides to see what they're up to. He doesn't think much of it before he sees them actually studying the loads of junk mail in his mailbox.

 _man, this kid has no concept of privacy, do they?_

It's time to intervene.

Sans casually walks toward them, his steps soft, and stops a safe distance away.

"if youre lookin' for the coupons, youre gonna have to go through lots of boring ads."

Instantly the human shrieks away from the mail and blushes all the way to their ears. They look at Sans, startled by his sudden presence.

"Um, um, I'm sorry!"

They quickly apologize, quite frantic as they try to find a safe place to look at. Sans finds their reaction surprisingly funny.

"don't sweat it, buddy. it's not that easy to get under my skin."

He looks amused by his own joke. Even if his mouth doesn't move, his 'eyes' tend to give it away. The child finally laughs for a change.

He recognizes their happy expression, as it's almost the same as in that picture. He tries to push away the bitter feeling as he walks past them to his front door.

"Sans, I fought your brother earlier. I didn't hurt him, just so you know. I made friends with him instead."

Sans pauses for a step, taking in the information. That makes him think that at some point, the human _did_ hurt Papyrus. He doesn't want to respond, because whatever he'd say would come out as cold and sarcastic. He keeps walking.

He enters through the front door, but ends up in his bedroom.

The human knows they've made a mistake.

.

There's commotion in the house very soon after Sans has entered it.

He's taken out a trombone, which he practises on now and then. When he picked up the hobby a long time ago, it was because he couldn't resist the temptation of the pun. He uses the instrument far less frequently nowadays.

His practising doesn't echo in the whole house because his room is sealed with magic. Sound can enter, but it never leaves the room. Not only does he not like it when people know where he is, he also doesn't want to annoy Papyrus with the noise. The neighbours probably wouldn't appreciate it either.

As he's holding a break from playing the music, he hears the voices of his brother and the human downstairs.

" _IMPRESSED? I INCREASED THE HEIGHT OF MY SINK. NOW I CAN FIT MORE BONES UNDER IT! TAKE A LOOKSY!"_

Right. If Sans wouldn't have space-bending abilities, he would have a lot of trouble with said sink. He chuckles at the thought of it.

" _WHAT!? CATCH THAT MEDDLING CANINE!"_

What's this? Something's gone wrong. From the sound of it, a dog has gotten into Papyrus' bone cabinet.

" _CURSES!"_

With a trombone right in front of him, Sans couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity. He grabs it and cracks his door open. He plays a famous failure melody with three notes, then slips right back inside his room.

The expected reaction follows.

" _SANS! STOP PLAGUING MY LIFE WITH INCIDENTAL MUSIC!"_

Sans chuckles to himself again, this time a tad longer. He doesn't know what he'd do for certified laughs if he couldn't tease his brother like this. Of course there's always Toriel, but it isn't the same.

He puts down the trombone, then goes to take a seat on his mattress. A world without Papyrus... He doesn't want to imagine that. Even if he has, even before. And in some time, that kid has probably made him go through that kind of life. Maybe not, but it's what he got from their words from earlier.

" _I didn't hurt him. I made friends with him instead."_

Sans' eyes go dark. If this human tries to lay a finger on Papyrus, they're going to regret it. He doesn't know if it was a half-hearted threat or if the human said it in a way that just came off wrong. He doesn't know anything.

He doesn't want to check his notes.

Ever since he can remember, Papyrus has been the most important thing to Sans. His brother is goofy and often fails to pick up on hints, but to Sans, he's someone to admire. His tireless optimism, hard-working nature and happy outlook on life, no matter what happens, give him so much relief.

Even if it doesn't seem like it to everyone, Papyrus is the perfect person to rely on. Sans doesn't know how he could begin to pay that back, but he always starts with never going out of his way to trouble him. He pays the bills and solves the problems around them the best he can. He makes sure Papyrus is always smiling.

He can't bring himself to do everything, though. So as much as it burdens him that he does, he leaves the housework to Papyrus. He's always been a messy person himself, though. The only thing he keeps mostly clean is his working environment.

Sans shuts his eyes as he thinks back on how much he's changed. While he's always been one to make bad jokes and to appear far more relaxed than the average person, he's become much lazier as time has passed. His outlook on life has changed, though he's sure not how dramatic that change is. It's hard to remember how he used to think like, now.

 _...ive been sitting here way too long, haven't i?_

Sans realizes he's been wasting time with his thoughts. He has stuff to do.

 _at least i noticed it now..._

He stands up and walks through his door, yet into another laboratory.

"what's up, alphys?"

The yellow lizard monster on the other side startles out of her chair.

* * *

 _[A/N] In case you were wondering, I've modified some small things in all the chapters occasionally. (I'll keep doing this later for sure, too.) Mostly just changing word choices or correcting awkward sentences. I also changed some "canon" things in chapter 1 because my theories changed. Carry on._


	5. Chapter 5

"S-s-sans? I w-wish you'd stop doing that!"

Alphys gathers herself from the floor, tilting up her chair that tipped over with her weight. She straightens her glasses with one hand, then fidgets with them for a second or so.

"heh, sorry. didn't mean to make you fall off your seat."

He closes the door after him and puts his hands in his pockets as he approaches the computer table. He stops by the monitor clearly displaying the human on it, then gazes at it for a moment or so.

"spying on the kid, huh?"

They're still hanging out with Papyrus in his house.

"T-that's right, I... H-hope i-it doesn't come across t-too weird...!"

"nah. 't makes sense."

After a moment of watching he turns fully back to Alphys. He wonders how long she's been following the human and how many of their conversations she's caught.

"i meant to come by earlier."

"Oh, t-that's right. I-I didn't realize it was so l-late already... I was watching this a-anime..."

Alphys looks a bit fidgety instead of her earlier displeasure from falling over. Sans takes a glance at the computer screen, where an anime is paused. There is a blonde girl smiling in a short-skirted uniform.

"A-a-anyway, now t-that you're here... Let's go c-check on the... _Y-you-know-w-what_."

She's clearly embarrassed as she tabs out of the show and abruptly turns around toward the elevator. She's also as reluctant as usual to mention the Amalgamates by name.

Sans follows her without putting much thought into it.

.

Sans sits on one of the beds in the True Lab, and watches as Endogeny fetches the bone he has thrown to the other side of the room. He grins at the sight of it stumbling over, then dodges when it almost throws its crushing weight on the small skeleton.

"haha, calm down a lil'... i hope to be more than a sack of bones when i leave here."

Endogeny still doesn't give up on getting close to Sans. He takes the bone from it with his gravity magic and floats it in the air while Endogeny licks his face. He tries to push it away with his right hand, the one that isn't controlling his magic.

"that tickles."

He protests weakly, then laughs in response to the excited dog Amalgamate that won't leave him be. He throws the bone with his magic and Endogeny finally leaves him alone as it chases after it.

Sans straightens himself, seeing he's covered in slime yet again. He half-heartedly tries to wipe it off.

While Endogeny rushes back to him, he notices Alphys entering the room from the doorway. He glances over at her, then quickly grabs the bone from the Amalgamate and throws it again before it can jump him.

"so?"

Alphys shifts, then finds herself a seat from one of the other beds and releases a deep sigh.

"Th-there's no i-improvement. They're st-still stuck l-like this."

Sans wears a blank expression, as blank as he can with his permanent smile, then throws the bone for Endogeny once more. Besides the Amalgamate's sounds, the room is overtaken by silence.

Sans breaks it.

"we could always take another look at whatever determination we have left..."

Alphys' protest comes immediately.

"No. I-i-i'm done with t-that. I can't ta-take another f-failed experiment..."

Endogeny brings back the bone, then flops onto the floor, seemingly satisfied as it chews on it. Sans reaches down to pet it.

"fair enough. it's partially my fault, too. i shouldn't've shown ya the research."

"S-sans, y-you did the r-right thing... I-it was me who f-failed over and o-over again."

"welp... this is neither of our fields, really. we should have foreseen it."

Sans shrugs while he speaks, clearly much calmer about their situation than Alphys.

"Y-yeah. Y-you're right of c-course, you usually a-are..."

He feels a little awkward about being complimented in this atmosphere and soon gets up from the bed. Despite her words, Alphys seems depressed. He decides a change in topic is in order.

"hey, how about you show me that anime you were watchin'? we can grab some popato chisps from the machine."

Alphys notices the effort to cheer her up and secretly appreciates it. She worries she's being pathetic again, though. She forces herself to smile.

"T-that sounds l-like a good idea."

Once Alphys agrees, Sans feels relieved. The air was getting too heavy to his liking.

.

After three episodes of watching a magical girl -type anime, Sans decides he's seen enough of it. Papyrus is probably making dinner and doesn't appreciate it when his brother is not on time.

"alph, its getting kinda late. i think i gotta run."

He stands from the chair Alphys has gotten for him, then does a makeshift stretch, as if a skeleton had any use for such a gesture.

"O-oh, right! T-thank you for c-coming by, Sans. I-it helps more than y-you know..."

Alphys says this in a shy manner and Sans replies with a single finger gun.

"no prob. just _drop_ me a message if somethin' goes wrong and _i'll_ drop by."

"I-i will. You can f-find me h-here... B...Being on m-my... computer..."

Alphys realizes how sad her life sounds in the middle of her sentence, but Sans doesn't seem too bothered by it. Then again, she can never tell anything from his expression.

"see ya."

Sans shrugs and exits through the door, entering his house to be met with the sight of Papyrus in the kitchen.

.

"SANS! FINALLY, YOU'RE BACK. I'VE BARELY SEEN YOU ALL DAY! YOU WEREN'T AT YOUR POST! ...THEN AGAIN, IS THERE REALLY A NEED SINCE THE HUMAN IS HERE...?"

Papyrus doesn't leave the kitchen, only looks toward his brother as Sans closes the front door after him.

"are you sure you just didn't see me there?"

"DON'T YOU EVEN TRY! NOBODY CAN ESCAPE THE SIGHT OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NYEH HEH HEH!"

Papyrus waves his cooking ladle in the air as he speaks. Tomato sauce flies everywhere.

"YOU WERE SLOUCHING AT GRILLBY'S, WEREN'T YOU?"

The taller brother goes back to his cooking while Sans approaches him with his hands in his pockets.

"only during my breaks."

"WELL, NOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL..."

Papyrus pauses when he takes another look at Sans.

"WHY ARE YOU COVERED IN SLIME AGAIN!? Although I wouldn't be surprised if you were slimy from Grillby's... IT'S SO GREASY IN THERE."

"oh, this? i got into a bit of a _sticky_ situation..."

"SANS..."

"...at napstablook's snail farm. it was really a _race_ to get back home..."

"SANS!"

"...but somehow i at least managed to save my own skin."

"UGH!"

Papyrus stops his cooking to groan at the story, then weakly glares at his brother.

"MUST YOU MAKE EVERYTHING INTO A BAD JOKE?"

"it's a true story, bro."

Sans seems pleased with himself and Papyrus relents.

"FINE, I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT. BUT TAKE A SHOWER BEFORE YOU COME TO THE DINNER TABLE! I WON'T HAVE ANY SLIME ON MY SPAGHETTI! EXCEPT FOR WHEN I COOK IT WITH SLIME."

The blue coated skeleton chuckles and oblidges by entering the bathroom below the stairs.

While Sans is in the shower, Papyrus stops stirring the questionable-smelling tomato sauce and stares at it solemnly for a second or two.

Not only did he not entirely, in his soul, believe Sans' story... He'd have to speak to Undyne soon.

* * *

 _[A/N] Another chapter I mostly enjoy. Lemme know what you think._


	6. Chapter 6

It's after dinner that Papyrus makes his way into Waterfall. Sans knows he has to report to Undyne, even if he's reluctant. And, with the kid staying in Snowdin, they were easy to find.

The human undoubtedly knows that Undyne is after them. There isn't a need to warn them about it... Yet, Sans can't tear himself away from the window, where he's gazing at the street.

No, it's better not to linger here. He finally pulls away, then turns around and takes his time to teleport.

.

Sans has his arms rested on the counter of his 'hot dog stand.' It's technically illegal, since he hasn't acquired any permits for it. The king seems to give a blind eye to whatever he's doing, though, and Undyne hasn't noticed it since she hates coming to Hotland.

"here ya go, buddy."

He's sold yet another illegal hot dog. He puts the ketchup and mustard back inside the booth and rests comfortably against it.

Papyrus hates Hotland as well. Whether it's because of their past or the conveyors and steam vents everywhere, it doesn't matter. It's a rare sight to catch him there.

Sans acknowledges he's thinking about his brother again.

 _i hope papyrus is doing alright..._

That passing thought makes Sans quiet again. In that silence, he notices there are no more likely customers nearby... There's nothing to see by any of his sentry stations, either. Ah well, he might as well leave for his next job, then.

.

The rest of the evening is busy. Sans keeps hopping between his jobs all night, not even having time to visit Alphys a second time. She seemed more down than usual, so he had hoped to check up on her... However, once it starts nearing midnight, he's too beat to do anything anymore.

Sans uses the last of his magic to move back into Snowdin, right inside his bedroom. He undresses from his coat and slippers and collapses onto his mattress. He's been waiting for this, even if there's no promise of solid sleep. He doesn't bother with the sheets.

Some time passes with Sans drifting somewhere between the blurry line of being awake and being unconcious. He's not sure how much time, he completely loses sense of it when he's like this...

A failingly hushed speaking voice from downstairs drags him out of his sleepy state and causes the light to return to his eyes. He opens his sockets all the way and stifles a yawn as he sits up.

"papyrus...?"

He mumbles ponderously as he gets up and stumbles through the dark room. He unlocks the door and pushes it open.

"papyrus, that you?"

Sans' entrance alerts his brother's attention right away.

"DID I WAKE YOU?"

Papyrus was downstairs, holding a pile of sheets, a blanket and a pillow on top. Sans rubs one of his eye sockets sleepily.

"yeah. what are you doing?"

"I WAS JUST SETTING UP A SPOT ON THE COUCH FOR THE HUMAN TO SLEEP ON."

"oh, that makes... what?"

Sans stirs out of his mindless state and now steps completely out of his bedroom, allowing the door to shut behind him.

The human timidly emerges from the kitchen and shows an apologetic smile.

"Hi, Sans..."

Their voice is small as they greet him. Sans stares at them quietly for a second or two. Papyrus is setting up the makeshift bed.

"so, uh, why're they crashing at our place?"

"OH, SANS. NO NEED TO ACT SO RUDE TOWARD OUR GUEST! I WAS THE ONE WHO SUGGESTED IT FOR THEM... SINCE..."

Papyrus pauses, looking troubled. Sans doesn't like seeing that expression on him.

"WELL, LET'S JUST SAY, THIS IS TRULY THE BEST HIDING SPOT IN ALL OF THE UNDERGROUND! THE SECRET LAIR OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!"

"a large house in the center of a town?"

"EXACTLY!"

Papyrus finishes making the bed and directs the human to it. They don't seem to oppose. Though Sans hasn't checked the time, he knows it's really late.

"how come you weren't asleep already, kid?"

"I–"

"THEY WERE! SO I WENT TO PICK THEM UP FROM THE INN!"

"that explains it."

Sans feels another yawn coming and this time lets it happen.

"well, i'm going back to sleep. g'night, kid."

"...Goodnight."

He steps over to his door, about to enter the room.

"night, pap."

"GOODNIGHT, SANS."

Sans leaves them to themselves quietly and locks the door, as usual. Papyrus stares for a moment, only distracted when the human stops shuffling in their bed. He turns to look at them. They're comfortably cocooned in the sheets.

"Goodnight, Papyrus. Thanks for letting me sleep here."

"YOU'RE WELCOME! DON'T MIND SANS. HE'S PROBABLY JUST CRANKY FROM BEING WOKEN UP... HE'S TOO LAZY FOR HIS OWN GOOD!"

The human shows a small smile at that. Papyrus eventually finds himself yawning, too. Even if he's not that tired.

"GOODNIGHT!"

With that, Papyrus heads upstairs. He throws a mildly confused gaze toward Sans' room before entering his own. The human is left alone in the comfortable darkness.

.

Sans has lied in bed for who knows how long again. He keeps changing his position, eventually ending up on the floor with his uncovered pillow. He likes lying on the hard floor. It feels more steady and cool.

 _i forgot to read a bedtime story for pap..._

He groans at the thought. Maybe it's a silly thing to read to an adult when they're about to go to sleep, but Papyrus enjoys the habit. The fact makes Sans smile, or it would if he wasn't already... Well.

His brother is more like a child in many ways, but it has never bothered Sans. And behind all that, he knows Papyrus is smarter than he looks. He's probably figured out that Sans isn't being honest with him a long time ago.

Sans turns on his back, feeling guilty all of a sudden. He hopes Papyrus doesn't worry.

Pushing that thought out of his mind brings up another one. The human.

As if Sans didn't already have his hands full, a time traveling human child wants his help on something they have yet to name. A child that is apparently sometimes his friend, and other times... His enemy. He still wonders which one it is now. But they're nice to his brother, at least.

If he would agree to help them, what would that mean? There's a chance they're just trying to find something out. Something that Sans usually wouldn't want to say, something they might use against him.

Sans wears his heart on his sleeve. Or he would, if he had a heart. It's obvious what he cares about the most. Still, he fears that the child wants to further snoop into his business. He doesn't like it when people try to do that, so he always stays one step ahead.

He brings his hand in front of his face, gazing at the white bones it consists of. He clenches his fingers and creates a flicker of cyan blue. His left eye flashes the same color.

With his abilities, it's easy to stay that one step ahead.

He closes his eye sockets and allows his hand to rest beside him. He decides he'll think about it in the morning. And, somehow, his body agrees, allowing him to fall asleep.

.

The night passes in silence. The white snow almost gives a ghost-like glow, even when there's no light to shine on it. Some new flakes form in the air below the cave ceiling and float down to cover the ground in yet another layer.

As morning nears, the lights of the underground turn on one by one, illuminating the large cave system anew. The only place left dark are the deep woods around Snowdin, where not many monsters roam.

Homely sounds from the kitchen have the human stir in their sleep. Hearing the shuffling, the one responsible for those noises takes extra precautions not to wake them. A note is left into the fridge with breakfast prepared for the guest and the other occupant of the house.

The last noise in the house from that person is the soft sound of the front door closing after him.


	7. Chapter 7

He turns in his sleep a few times before he finally comes out of his dream. Sans blinks as he wakes, laying there for only a moment before he sits and holds his spinning head with one hand.

He must've had more sleep than usual, even if there is static ringing in his 'ears.' He shakes his head to get rid of it and it does actually die down. He yawns.

Sans notices he's sitting on the floor instead of his bed, but gets up without giving it another thought. It's not an unusual occurence. He stretches just for the heck of it and finds himself the nearest clothes.

After not actually really changing much at all, because he slept in his clothes from the day before, Sans casually exits his room. It locks after him, the key resting in his pocket. He's wearing his usual blue jacket over his attire, as well as his pink slippers.

As he makes his way downstairs, he sees the human is still asleep on the couch. He stops beside them to study their expression. Completely relaxed. They actually look the part of a child now more than usual.

He continues his stride past the kid and into the kitchen. He heads for the fridge and instantly sees the recently-cooked spaghetti inside. There's a sticky note on it, and he picks it up.

 _HUMAN! SANS!_

 _I HAVE GONE TO PLEASANTLY SURPRISE UNDYNE WITH MY AMAZING COMPANY!_

 _PLEASE EAT THIS SPAGHETTI WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY!_

 _-THE GREAT PAPYRUS_

Sans sticks the note back to the plastic wrap over the plate, then picks up the half empty bag of popato chisps and closes the fridge after. The bag crunches as he reaches into it and grabs himself some of the salty treats.

He hears the bundle of sheets on the couch move and casually throws the chisps into his mouth. (Well, toward his mouth... Then they just disappear.) More crunching sounds accompany the gesture.

The human seems to awaken as they yawn and open their eyes, only to rub them with their hands. They sit up as soon as they've shaken off the sleep, then search the area for the source of the annoying sound. They see Sans looking at them.

"Good morning..."

Their tone is timid and they avert their eyes to their knees. They seem a little nervous due to his presence, which is what Sans expected. Soon he rests the bag of chisps on the counter and casually approaches them.

"mornin', kid. sleep well?"

His tone is casual, but the human still refuses to look up for a few beats. Eventually they gain enough courage to face him.

"Yeah... Sorry for intruding in your home. I couldn't bring myself to say 'no' when Papyrus appeared by my room. The bunny lady was letting me sleep there for free, too..."

A short, assessing silence follows. After it Sans sits down on the couch and the human moves their legs out of the way.

"heh... you do put on a nice face for me, don't you?"

His words seem to cut straight through them and they look at him in mild shock. Then, they get flustered as they face the floor.

"It's not like that. I'm not acting, it... It's hard to explain."

Sans shrugs at that, then leans against the back of the couch. He seems relaxed.

"i'll be honest with ya, i don't exactly know what kinda dance we usually do. but you said to me that this time is different..."

The human suddenly looks hopeful. Sans sighs, relenting.

"so if that's the case, i guess there's no harm in hearing you out, is there?"

They beam and clasp their hands together.

"Yes! Thank you! It is different, it really is. Everything is completely different."

They seem extremely happy. Yet, still... Not all that relieved. There's something stirring inside them, a certain restlessness. Sans can sense it, but guesses it's not a good idea to bring it up.

"before we get into it, there's something i have to check. okay, kid? so sit tight and eat some of the spaghetti in the fridge."

Sans stands up, noticing the immediate crunching up of the human's expression. He holds back a chuckle and winks at them.

"or, uh, you could have popato chisps instead."

They seem relieved by that, at least.

The skeleton casually heads for the front door. The human sits up higher, ending up on their knees on the couch as they watch Sans open it. Their eyes widen when they see a flash of a room through the door instead of the space outside.

After the door has closed behind Sans, the human stands up and rushes over to it. They crack it open, but there's nothing but a snowy view behind. Sans is using his strange "shortcut" powers again.

.

Sans is looking at his laptop. He purposefully avoids looking toward the drawer containing his photo album, even if he's tempted. Instead he studies his data in silence.

After confirming there are no changes, no "resets," he finds himself able to relax. The human doesn't seem to be going back in time to figure out what to say to make him relent. He closes the laptop and slides it back into the correct drawer, then gets up.

He walks through the door and enters back into his house. The human is instantly alerted by his presence.

"don't look so startled. even if i look it, i'm not _bad_ _to the bone_."

After a moment of trying to stifle their laughter, the human giggles. Sans smiles in response and notices they've folded up the sheets Papyrus had made them a bed with.

"well, kid. i guess it's time we have that talk."

The human nods happily.

.

"UNDYNE!"

"Wha– Papyrus?!"

Undyne looks surprised, armored up and looking heroic on top of one of the cliffs in Waterfall. She faces her friend with her expression still contorted.

"How'd ya find me, punk? You didn't even call!"

Papyrus huffs a few times as he stops by the fish monster, leaning against his knees. A moment later he's already full of energy again.

"SIMPLE! I JUST LOOKED THROUGH ALL THE POSSIBLE HERO-POSING SPOTS IN WATERFALL UNTIL I RAN INTO YOU!"

Undyne is admittedly impressed by the persistence.

"You bonehead! Call ahead next time!"

She scolds him anyway, as usual wanting to help Papyrus better himself.

"NOW WHERE'S THE FUN AND ADVENTURE IN THAT? NYEH HEH HEH!"

Though she tries, Undyne can't resist that happy-go-lucky attitude.

"Fine! You win, THIS TIME!"

She challenges with a flashy smile and throws a friendly bump at Papyrus' shoulder. Because of her immense strenght, he actually wavers due to the "mild" punch.

After that, she gets a little more serious, her smile replaced by a calmer expression.

"Look, Papyrus, about the human..."

She pauses, uncertain how to put it. Papyrus senses her discomfort, even through his own, and instinctually directs the conversation into a happier direction.

"I KNOW I FAILED TO CAPTURE THEM, BUT IT WON'T HAPPEN A SECOND TIME! EVEN IF SOMEONE HAS BESTED THE GREAT PAPYRUS ONE TIME, IT IS UNHEARD OF FOR ME TO GO DOWN TWICE!"

He argues in a dramatic tone of voice and even poses to amplify the effect. The air current catches onto his red scarf at the exact right time, making it flow and split the air.

"MY PUZZLES CAN ONLY GET BETTER FROM THIS! MY TRAPS WILL ENTER A NEW LEVEL OF ENTRAPENING! MY SKILLS AS A–not yet–ROYAL GUARDSMAN WILL BE ADMIRED BY ALL!"

He clenches his fist as he monologues. Undyne both admires his apparent enthusiasm and forces herself to swallow the words at the tip of her tongue. She keeps hoping that Papyrus would give up this dream on his own, just so he could pursue one that suits his nature better.

"Keeping your spirits up, I see! Good job, nerd!"

She catches Papyrus into her arm and noogies the top of his skull. He both startles and protests right away.

"U-UNDYNE, STOP THAT!"

"Fuhuhu! MAKE ME!"

"UNDYNE!"

After a few moments of teasing him, Undyne finally lets him go. Papyrus lets out and audible "phew."

As the moment passes, the fish monster seems to settle into another uncomfortable silence. She gazes over whatever she can see of Waterfall from here with her single, yellow eye.

A moment later there is a grin on her face again as she turns back to Papyrus.

"Well, since you're here! Will you help me find the human?"

Papyrus' first reflex is to ball his hands into fists. He resists that urge and replaces it with a wide grin.

"NYEH! OF COURSE! YOU WON'T HAVE TIME TO SUPLEX EVEN HALF A BOULDER BEFORE I'VE–"

"Fuhuhuhu! You're late!"

Taking the challenge literally, Undyne is already suplexing a huge boulder a few feet away from where she originally stood.

"...!"

Papyrus chases after her right away.

"IT'S RUDE TO INTERRUPT!"

Though he'd said he was going to help Undyne find the human, Papyrus' plan is the exact opposite. Having made friends with them, the only way to shut up his guilty concience is to lead Undyne away. Even if it means lying to his only other friend.

 _WOWIE, BEING FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE IS SO COMPLICATED..._

Papyrus truly feels troubled as he thinks that.


	8. Chapter 8

The human is seated on the plush, green couch again. Sans has taken a spot on the armrest farthest away from the child.

The human's nervousness is obvious, though they try to mask it with a smile. That's more Sans' area. Then again, he doesn't actually even get nervous that often.

With a deep breath, the kid pushes through their anxiety and shows a determined expression. Sans is same amounts amused and impressed by the mature look.

"Okay, so..."

They start. Silence follows.

...

It continues.

...

 _It gets awkward._

They sink into themselves, giving a defeated sigh. Sans stifles a laugh and it shows on his face. The human pouts.

"want me to give you a point to start on, kiddo?"

He suggests quickly, deciding he should help them out a little, at least. They think on it for a moment, then eventually give him a single nod.

"aight then. how'bout you just straight up tell me what ya want, yeah? we can talk about the why and how after."

The human thinks on it, gazing at the sofa. Then, they gather a breath and some courage, finally seeming to start their explanation.

"I want to know about Gaster."

Immediately, silence follows.

It continues.

 _It gets_ –

"gaster...?"

There's another pause in the conversation. The human is trying read Sans' expression, to no avail. The little lights in his eye sockets are staring staight at them, and his mouth is still in a grin. There's absolutely nothing to decipher.

"that's uh, a pretty bad joke, kid. and looks like you ran outta laughing _gas there_. not even a chuckle from the audience."

Sans winks and seems to completely dismiss the topic. They furrow their brows, trying to understand the reaction.

"Look, Sans... I don't know if you know about him at all or... Anything, but..."

They stammer nervously, not making eye contact.

"I've been going through this world time and time again, and... Well... Sometimes..."

The human seems to get more uncomfortable as they continue.

"Sometimes I run into these... Ghosts? No, not ghosts. Not like Napstablook or Mettaton, or Mad Dummy. There's something different about them. Like they don't really even exist."

Sans catches the fact the human knows about Mettaton. Of course they do.

"They talk about... "Doctor W.D. Gaster". He was the Royal Scientist before Alphys. They explain how he um... Died? Because of some kind of experiment, or something. And... Got scattered across time and space? I don't really understand that part."

They pause and look up at Sans. His expression is still unreadable.

"But I know you would, Sans. You're really secretive, but... Whenever I made friends with you, you would give me this _key_. I already knew you were into science, but... When I saw your basement, I started to think that's your job or something. Or was? I don't know."

The human shifts and finally Sans' expression relaxes. He closes his eyes for a moment or so and tilts his chin slightly downwards.

"heh heh... you've been busy. finding out everyone's secrets. looks like you've finally come across one you can't figure out on your own, by _just_ resetting."

Sans shrugs and opens his eyes. He looks amused.

"i wonder if that's what you meant with your 'freedom'. maybe you only feel like youre freer because you've finally, after all this time, figured out an activity you havent tried yet. but hey, that's just my opinion."

The human looks taken aback and averts their gaze. They seem to be thinking about it.

"tell me honestly. is there any other stuff you don't know about the underground?"

They think on it for a good while. Then they shake their head. Sans gives a sigh.

"you're a curious kid... trust me, i know how that feels. however..."

 _However_ , Sans quickly finds he has little desire to indulge the human's selfish escapade. He doesn't want to help them with this exciting puzzle they've made for themselves. It's stupid, it's pointless and will only serve to satisfy the human's curiosity.

"this 'gaster' person? i've never even heard of him. i think i'd remember if he was the royal scientist n'all."

The human's expression is one of surprise, then contemplation. They seem disappointed, as expected.

"maybe youve just been imagining all this stuff. kids are prone to having an active imagination."

They pout at that, clearly disliking the condescending tone that's so unlike Sans. He's always treated them more like an equal before. Something's wrong, even they can tell.

As Sans is getting up and about to head into the kitchen for more chisps, the human suddenly adds something more.

"One of the "ghosts" or whatever, said something that kind of scared me. Referring to Gaster, they said... "It's rude to talk about someone who's listening.""

Sans freezes entirely. He shivers. It's hard to tell from where the human is sitting, but they can still sense the change in atmosphere. It's suddenly tense, the air almost like the uncomfortable feeling before a long due rain. Dark clouds looming above their heads.

He turns around to face them. His eye sockets are dark. This is one of those rare times he's gotten nervous.

.

A long time passes in silence. Both the human and skeleton are back on the couch in their previous setup, Sans clearly deep in thought as he stares at the unoccupied cushion, where the sheets are still folded. The human waits patiently, waving their legs and staring down at them. The only thing breaking the silence is the ticking of the clock on the kitchen wall.

"hey, kid..."

Finally, Sans speaks. The human stops waving their legs about and faces him with a questioning expression.

"i'm thinkin'... you prolly shouldn't pursue this lil' mystery any further."

He seems serious as he says that, even if he's talking in his usual manner. He takes his time before looking them in the eye.

"Why? Even if it gets dangerous, it's not like I can die. Well, I can, but..."

That catches Sans' attention.

"If I do, I'll just _load_ my last save point. Oh, um, this probably doesn't make much sense, does it?"

They giggle for a moment.

"In the beginning I thought you were like _F_... _Someone else_. There's one person in the underground that can rewind time like me. Or he used to, but he lost the ability when I fell in. He's the only one who remembers everything perfectly, except when I..."

They pause, realizing they've been rambling. They face Sans sheepishly.

"I so want to explain everything to you, but you'll say it's pointless again, won't you? Because if I reset, you'll just forget it all over again. Sorry about that."

There isn't nearly as much remorse in their tone as Sans would like. They make him go through this pointless hell over and over again and just smile about it like it's the funnest thing in the world? He once heard that human children don't develop the ability to empathize until much later, but he didn't really believe that until now.

"kid... you're really the strangest person i've ever met. your mood swings are crazy."

They seem a little shaken by the comment. There's conflict in their eyes. Sans knows he's accidentally hit some secret bull's eye.

"huh? from your expression, it seems like i stumbled onto something. although i'll admit i don't know what that something is."

The human shifts in place multiple times. They still seem conflicted, perhaps arguing inside their head. Sans doesn't know how accurate that guess is.

"That's because... I'm not the only one in here."

It's now out there, and confused silence follows. There's too much information in this one conversation, and Sans suddenly feels like he needs a break.

"ok. i think that's enough weird topics for one day, wouldn't'ya agree?"

The human looks surprised. It seems like there's a lot they still wanted to elaborate on, but there's a limit to how much information can be processed at once.

"while i still think this is all rendered useless when ya do reset..."

Sans pauses. Where is he going with this...? The feeling he has, he almost feels... A little motivated?

"maybe we can pick up this convo another time. i have a lot of non-time-traveling-kid-related stuff to do, ya know."

Realization dawns on the human.

"Oh, right! Sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from _stuff_."

It's unknown whether the human has figured out what all of that "stuff" is. Sans isn't going to take any risks. Just incase. He gets up from the couch for the second time and heads straight for the door.

"welp, i'm off. hope ya had an _a-bone-dance_ of fun. i know i did."

Sans seems like his usual self, which relaxes the human somewhat. He could be pretty intimidating if he wanted to be and they hadn't known what to expect.

A moment later Sans leaves through the door, emerging who knows where, leaving the human alone on his green couch.


	9. Chapter 9

It's in the late afternoon that Papyrus gets back.

Unlike the training he does with Undyne, the chase for the human took a really long time before she decided it was time for a break. Knowing her, _the break_ wouldn't be a long one. Papyrus thought he should at least visit home while it's happening.

When he enters into the living room, the human seems to be gone. There's no trace of Sans either, but he might be in his room. He never knows without knocking.

" _SANS_?"

He heads up the stairs as he calls for his brother's name, wondering if he should make dinner tonight. Sans eats out often, so Papyrus has to ask before he cooks so the food doesn't go to waste.

"SANS?"

Papyrus calls for his brother again when he reaches his door, then tries the handle out of curiosity. Locked, as usual. He shrugs and heads back downstairs.

He supposes he'll just cook for himself and be done with it.

As he reaches the kitchen and starts taking out cooking supplies, he thinks back on the day he's had with Undyne. Though the fish monster, for whatever reason, tries to hide it... She's really dead set on capturing this human.

She would continuously send Papyrus on a different path from her own, wearing an expression he couldn't read. He doesn't really like that expression.

Papyrus, as a friend of the human, tried to purposefully mislead her.

" _THEY MUST'VE GONE THROUGH WATERFALL BY NOW!"_

" _OH, GEE, DID WE CHECK WITH ONIONSAN? WE PROBABLY SHOULD!"_

" _MAYBE NAPSTABLOOK HAS SEEN THEM. HEY, LET'S GIVE HIS SNAIL RACE SOME BUSINESS TO BE NICE WHILE WE'RE THERE!"_

" _NO, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE IN SNOWDIN ANYMORE... I SAW THEM LEAVE WITH MY OWN TWO EYES! WELL... I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE EYES, BUT STILL! THEY'VE NEVER BETRAYED ME BEFORE!"_

Lying to Undyne is hard, but Papyrus knows it has to be done if he wants to keep the human in one piece. As naive as he may seem, he's not clueless to why they need to capture a human. He _knows_ it's to collect their soul to get through the barrier.

He likes to pretend it isn't like that.

He likes to think everyone around him can become friends. I mean, why wouldn't they? There's some good in every person, no matter how terrible they are. That's what he believes and relishes. That's why he doesn't like it when people get hurt.

Papyrus sees the water is already boiling and puts in the pasta. There's not nearly as much passion in the action as Undyne has trained him to use. He's too much in his own head right now to be his usual self.

Sans notices the sour mood as soon as he steps through the front door. Papyrus' attention is only caught by him when he talks.

"hey, bro. what's with the silence?"

Papyrus stirs out of his thoughts and faces Sans. There's a two second pause before he regains his usual attitude.

"WELL, WELL, WELL! LOOK WHO'S RETURNED A MOMENT TOO LATE FOR DINNER!"

The taller skeleton immediately scolds the shorter one.

"I'M SORRY SANS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND YOUR OWN FOOD! I'VE ONLY PORTIONED ENOUGH FOR MYSELF."

Sans doesn't seem bothered by that, hands in his pockets and shrugging as he approaches.

"i already ate at grillby's. i didn't think i'd have time to eat at home."

"OF COURSE YOU DID. THAT FOOD IS SO UNHEALTHY, YOU KNOW! YOU'RE GOING TO GET SICK EATING THERE ALL THE TIME."

"i wouldn't worry about it. i didn't even catch the flu when it was going _viral_."

Papyrus feels his shoulders sink and the look on Sans' face isn't helping. He rolls his eyes (probably – he mostly just tilts his head up slightly) and turns back to the pasta.

"SANS... I'M NOT IN THE MOOD FOR YOUR PUNS."

Though it seems like their usual banter, Sans can still sense something is wrong. He tries not to look too worried as he leans against the opening to the kitchen.

"what's the matter, pap? did something happen?"

"WELL..."

The way Papyrus shifts lets Sans know he really is bothered by something. It isn't that hard to guess, what.

"I DON'T REALLY LIKE MISLEADING UNDYNE. BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT HER TO HURT THE HUMAN. I... HOPE I CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE THEM BECOME FRIENDS INSTEAD."

Sans' smile would drop at those words. It's sweet how his brother wants those two to get along, even in this situation. The human probably knows a way to make that happen and Sans figures he should remind them to do that.

"i'm sure it'll be fine, bro. if someone can convince them, you can. you're like the most convincing person i know."

Sans' encouragement catches Papyrus' attention. He looks like he's thinking about it, almost in disbelief. But after a moment he already seems much more reassured.

"YES... YOU'RE RIGHT! I SHOULDN'T DOUBT MYSELF, FOR I AM THE GREATEST OF THE GREAT! IF ANYONE CAN MAKE A MONSTER AND A HUMAN BECOME FRIENDS, IT'S ME!"

Spaghetti suddenly forgotten, Papyrus rushes upstairs with his phone in hand. A quiet "nyeh heh heh" is chuckled under his breath. Sans feels much better seeing his brother determined.

Since the unfinished sauce and spaghetti are left on the stove, Sans decides to try the sauce out of curiosity. He scoops some up on the mixing spoon and has a taste.

He freezes and puts the spoon right back. It's still awful. It really shouldn't be this difficult to cook tasty spaghetti, should it? Or maybe _Undyne_ needs a cooking lesson, herself. If Sans wasn't feeling as lazy as usual, he would happily provide her with one.

.

Later that night, Sans finds himself in the contains of the True Lab. Endogeny is lying on the floor next to him, sleeping. He's hunched up against a counter with bunch of papers and blueprints spread in front of him and a pencil in his hand.

A quiet has settled for long moments before he hears someone walking around in the hallway. It's probably Alphys.

" _I-is someone i-i-in here...?"_

It is indeed Alphys' timid voice. She's probably spotted the light coming from the room Sans is occupying.

"just me, alphys. don't panic."

There's a sound of footsteps, this time a tad quicker than last time, though the pace is still leisurely at best.

"O...oh! That m-makes me relieved..."

Alphys enters through the door and pushes it all the way open as she steps into the room. Endogeny's ears perk, but it only shifts in its sleep.

"What a-are you d-d-doing here so late, S-sans?"

The yellow lizard fixes her glasses, then picks up one of the papers from the table and skims it over. There's a bunch of mathematical equations and notes. She puts the paper down and picks up one of the blueprints instead.

"T-these a-are the blueprints to t-that machine...!"

She realizes what's going on quickly and Sans finally leans back to look at her. He seems exhausted.

"i figured i'd give it another look..."

Alphys' expression contorts into worry and a form of hopelessness. She lowers the blueprint and places it back on the table.

"W-we both t-tried fixing it b-before already. W-w-we just d-don't have the parts. A-and a l-lot of the n-notes are m-missing."

Sans nods at that and turns back to the incomplete calculation right in front of him.

"i've been trying to finish them on my own. i've gotten nowhere so far, though. i'm not the one who built it, after all."

Alphys pulls herself a chair next to Sans and sits down. She adopts a more serious expression.

"I-I thought you s-said you'd given u-up going b-back."

"so did i. but today, since this morning, i haven't been able to stop thinking about it... so here we are."

Sans scratches his skull in a sort of sheepish emote, then leans his cheek into his palm and looks at the notes in frustration again. Alphys fidgets with her claws, looking down at them deep in thought. A brief silence takes over.

"I s-said I'd he-help you when y-you first c-came to me... And e-even though I've f-failed, I'm s-still here incase y-you... You know... N-need me."

The skeleton turns back to Alphys and after another moment, nods. He shoves some of the notes toward her.

"then, if you're not too busy..."

Surprised he actually would let her help again, she stares for a moment before returning his quiet nod.

As she gathers some of the papers on her side of the table, she notices different notes under them. These are new. She picks one up and quickly realizes they have nothing to do with the machine.

"N-notes on the t-timeline? And t-the fallen h-human?"

She looks more surprised than before.

"Y-you're studying them?"

But Sans doesn't respond. Instead he just taps his pen against the table, ignoring her question as he goes through the blueprints again.


	10. Chapter 10

Another night passes. Papyrus has been busy running with Undyne all morning – despite his long limbs and usual tirelessness, he can have a hard time keeping up with her. What makes it easier today, just like the day before, is the fact that Undyne is wearing her full suit of armor.

"UNDYNE, DO YOU REALLY THINK GOING TO HOTLAND IS A GOOD IDEA?"

There's clear worry in Papyrus' tone as he paces after Undyne. With all of her armor, the heat would probably melt her. She seems dead set on it, though.

"I've looked through the entire Waterfall _twice_! The human is not here, so they must've slipped past me! I have to go help my troops. It's my responsibility..."

She halts and turns to face Papyrus. She looks uncertain now and for whatever reason, a pang of guilt strikes through Papyrus' chest. He doesn't place that that uncertain expression is more like _mistrust_ until a bit later.

"Papyrus... If you knew where the human was, you would tell me, right?"

Silence falls between them. Papyrus hates lying, especially when he's confronted like this. He knows he's risking everything important to him if he confesses. And yet, his determination is crumbling.

"UM, UNDYNE, I..."

Disappointment spreads all over her face. And yet, it doesn't seem like she's that surprised. As well as disappointed, she almost seems relieved. Papyrus doesn't know what to think of it.

.

Alphys has been between doing work, posting on her UnderNet account and reading manga since she woke up. She once again uses the elevator to get out of the True Lab, the door automatically closing after her as she reaches the 'surface'.

She feels much calmer here, but she can't put away the haunting thoughts of the creatures below. She fidgets as he makes her way to her computer and forcefully distracts herself by checking if anyone's posted something new.

It's then that she hears the door to her laboratory shuffle open and someone parades inside. Alphys startles slightly.

"[DARLING! WHAT IS THIS, CHECKING ON MY PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE PERHAPS? I MEAN, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ON!]"

The robot rolls inside on its single wheel and greets Alphys in an expressive manner. She calms down slightly, the worry sinking back into the pit of her stomach, where it's slightly less bothersome.

"O-oh, M-mettaton. D-do you need a-adjustments to your b-body or...?"

Alphys naturally expects this to be a maintenance visit. After all, that's the only reason Mettaton seems to find time for to come see her at all.

However, the robot rests his arms against his sides and looks disappointed.

"[COME ON NOW, ALPHYS! CERTAINLY YOU REMEMBER OFFERING MY SHOW SOME QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT, NO? WHEN IS THE HUMAN GOING TO GET HERE?]"

Alphys' eyes widen when she recalls the puzzles and sets they'd gotten ready specifically for that event. She's been too busy thinking about other things to remember what she and Mettaton had been planning.

"T-t-that's right, s-sorry, Mettaton..."

Alphys quickly gets up from her seat and goes to turn on the live video feed for the human's location. It was shut down to save power earlier. Mettaton settles next to her, waiting for the news.

"I-it looks l-like they're s-still in Snowdin."

"[WHAT? HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?! DON'T THEY REALIZE THEY'RE COMPLETELY RUINING THE TIMING FOR MY BIG SPECIAL!]"

The yellow lizard fidgets as usual. Of course that's all Mettaton is thinking about. But she's still happy he even agreed to help, so there's no reason to complain.

"I'm s-s-sorry, there m-must be s-something that's k-keeping them t-there."

Alphys had caught a small part of a private conversation by accident, but she, for the most part, just pretends she hadn't heard it. Even if she's curious.

Mettaton seems quite agitated.

"[WELL WE CAN'T HAVE THAT, NOW CAN WE? WE BETTER GIVE THEM A REASON TO KEEP GOING! I WON'T HAVE MY FANS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE OF A VAGUE "SOMETHING"!]"

"W-wait, I d-don't think th-that's a good–!"

Before Alphys can finish her sentence, Mettaton is already rushing out the door, screaming at his camera crew.

"M-m-mettaton, w-w-wait!"

Alphys shouts after him and rushes over, hoping to stop whatever is threatening to unfold.

.

It's early in the afternoon that Sans wakes up. Even Papyrus would think it's unusually late for him to get up, and it is. But that's only because he spent most of the night working on his research.

Speaking of his research, he's fallen asleep against his desk in the True Lab. The papers are scattered across the table and the floor. He yawns as he sits up and goes to pick up the fallen papers.

It's dark in the room except for the dimmed table lamp beside him. The door into the room is closed and it's entirely quiet. Even Endogeny is nowhere in sight, despite having taken a liking to Sans.

Once he's piled up all the research papers, he goes for the door. He notices it's not locked and sighs, this time making sure it is as he exits.

He uses one of the other doors for his magic, entering his house through it. To anyone inside, it looks like he's simply coming out of his room, the blue flames under the door disappearing as he does. They come back when the door closes after him.

"papyrus?"

Sans calls casually as he heads down the stairs. It's a slim chance his brother is home, but there's no harm in checking.

Someone emerges from the kitchen when he reaches the bottom of the steps, but it's not Papyrus.

"oh, hey kid. what're you doing here?"

The door is probably left unlocked by Papyrus so the human can come and go as they wish. Sans doesn't mind, since his own room is always locked.

"I'm hiding. Kind of."

They shrug, seemingly honest. They've averted their gaze to the floor.

"that so? well, like pap already said, you've picked the right place."

Sans winks, amused as he passes the human to go into the kitchen. He opens the fridge, unaware why he expected anything but ingredients for spaghetti. He closes it again.

"i'm going to grillby's. wanna come?"

It seems like a nice opportunity to chat more with the human, so why not? There's still a lot of things left unclear between them.

"Yes, please. Ah... Um... Actually, I was going to ask. I don't have any gold left..."

The human becomes awkward in the middle of their sentence. Sans finds himself still amused by their nervous behaviour.

"i'll foot the bill _this once_. i don't think papyrus would forgive me if i left you unfed."

For some reason, "this once" doesn't sound so absolute.

"come on. i know a shortcut."

Sans shrugs and nudges his skull toward the door. He earns a giggle from the human. They seem to know what's up.

.

Once they've gone through Sans' house door and emerge at Grillby's, he turns to smirk at the human.

"fast shortcut, huh?"

The human shrugs in response, clearly in on the joke. Sans turns to the rest of the patrons.

"hey, everyone."

Many of the others greet him in a familiar manner as he's leading the human toward the counter. Eventually they both get seated, Sans first.

"here, get comfy."

By the time the human sits on the bench, a whoopee cushion starts going off. Through the whole duration of it, the human looks to be either on the verge of tears or laughter. Maybe both.

He's done this gag before, hasn't he?

"whoops, watch where you sit down. sometimes weirdos put whoopee cushions on the seats."

Sans is sure he looks pretty pleased with himself, even if some of the joy is sucked out by being aware of the kid's time traveling abilities.

There's a short pause. They both can sense something wrong in the atmosphere, the human clearly even sharper than Sans. He takes a subtle peek behind him to see some of the monsters inside seem kind of... Wary.

"anyway, let's order."

Both of them soon decide on a burger. While waiting for their order, Sans takes out a comb from his pocket and pretends to brush his non-existent hair. The human seems, as usual, somewhat amused by him.

"i don't know how i haven't asked this yet, but... what do you think of my brother?"

Sans puts away his comb as he asks this. The human turns to face the counter for a little bit. Their expression is kind of vacant, as if they're waiting to get to the good parts. He quickly realizes he's slipped back into their "routine", even if he was unaware this is a part of it.

"He's cool."

The human eventually responds and it's kind of obvious they know that is the right answer. Sans can't know if the sentiment is sincere, but he hopes so.

"of course he's cool. you'd be cool too if you..."

He stops himself and averts his eyes for a second or so. He rethinks what he's going to say entirely.

"...we should really talk about the stuff we started on yesterday, right?"

The human looks up, suddenly filled with more life again. They're out of the routine. Sans feels more at ease because of that.

"let me ask you something first. what were you hiding from when i ran into you?"

They think about it for a moment, then rest their arms against the counter as they speak.

"Everyone here seems nervous around me. I think it's because they know what's going to happen to me if I keep going forward, but me staying here causes them to lie and pretend..."

They've lowered their voice enough so only Sans can really pick up what they're saying. He nods at that.

"i mean, what didya expect? monsters aren't natural killers, even if your soul could give them freedom."

At least temporarily, Sans adds in his mind. The human looks a little saddened by his words.

"I've never just decided to stay in Snowdin before. There was nothing more for me here to find until I ran into..."

They pause to look around the room, checking if anyone's listening.

"Until I ran into those _things_."

The human finishes in a softer tone.

A moment later Grillby returns with their burgers and sets the plates in front of them.

"here comes the grub. want some ketchup?"

As Sans is offering the glass bottle, loud noises from outside the bar interrupt them.

* * *

 _[A/N] Thanks for the nice review, Starlight! I appreciate it._


	11. Chapter 11

Because Mettaton has to wait for his camera crew, he navigates through the underground much slower than usual. That gives time for Alphys to catch up to him.

"[YES, YES I DO WANT YOU TO DELIVER THE SETS TO SNOWDIN! NO, I AM NOT KIDDING... EXCUSE ME? I AM YOUR BOSS! DO YOU WANT TO GET FIRED?]"

Alphys stumbles onto the scene in the middle of Snowdin Town. She'd taken the Riverperson's boat, just like the crew before her. A lot of people seem to be whispering to each other, some even shouting and pointing when they spot Mettaton.

Though the crowded scene and cold air cause the lizard to shiver, she approaches the robot all the same.

"M-m-mettaton! Please, would y-you just l-l-listen to me!"

Mettaton barely acknowledges her stuttering plea and continues his phone call as though nothing's happened.

"[THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, DARLING. GET GOING RIGHT NOW OR I'LL FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL!]"

He smashes the 'end call' button and puts away the phone with some agression, still somewhat agitated by the conversation. When he turns around to face his crew, he finally remembers Alphys.

"[ALPHYS, NOT THAT YOU'RE HERE, YOU SHOULD GO STALL THE HUMAN SO WE CAN–]"

"L-listen to m-me, Mettaton! A-aren't you g-g-going a little too f-far? T-they're eventually g-going to go t-through Hotland i-if they w-want to g-go home..."

"[WELL I'M NOT GOING TO RISK THE PERFECT TIME SLOT! THIS IS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME CHANCE, ALPHYS! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D SACRIFICE MY STARDOM!]"

Mettaton has thrown his hands on his hips as he argues with the scientist in an overly dramatic tone.

"T-that's not at all w-what I..."

It's then that another pair of voices cut them off completely.

" _Ngah! Where is that human hiding?!"_

" _WAIT, UNDYNE! HOLD ON!"_

The robot and scientist quickly turn toward the loud commotion and Mettaton looks like he's about to lose his patience completely.

"[UGH! WHAT NOW?! WHAT ELSE COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG TODAY? NO MATTER, NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP MY SHOW!]"

"Mettaton!"

Alphys calls after Mettaton as he angrily wheels himself through the snow. The lizard follows, still shivering as she stomps her feet to the ground.

The two flashy pairs of people run into each other at the crossing of the two main streets. The robot and the scientist who made his body meet the head of the Royal Guard and her skeleton apprentice.

" _I asked where_ – Alphys?"

"H-hi Undyne..."

"OH MY GOD!? METTATON!"

"[OH, ANOTHER FAN OF MINE?]"

Everyone has come to a confused stand still. Undyne and Alphys are overtaken by surprise at seeing each other here, but as usual, the fish monster isn't too shy about it. Or about anything.

"Haha! Didn't expect to see you here! I'm kind of busy with work right now, but maybe we can watch some anime later?"

Undyne's eager suggestion wipes out the partially hostile and panicked atmosphere, except for the fuming annoyance coming from Mettaton's direction.

"O-o-oh, t-that do-does s-sound l-like–"

Alphys is fidgeting and actually blushing a little bit, afraid to face Undyne as butterflies have completely invaded her stomach. Nevertheless, Mettaton cuts her off.

"[WHATEVER, WHATEVER! THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, SWEETIE!]"

He waves a finger in front of Alphys and approaches Undyne instead, the finger now pointed accusingly at her chest.

"[LISTEN HERE, UNDYNE. I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU CAPTURE THE HUMAN UNTIL THEY'VE APPEARED ON MY SHOW! MY CAREER MAY WELL DEPEND ON IT!]"

Undyne seems to be tipped back over to the angry side rather easily.

"WHAT?! Like I care about your viewer ratings, Mettaton! We're literally talking about the freedom of all monsterkind!"

If she gets any angrier from here, Alphys is very well aware some blue spears are going to be materialized.

"[EXCUSE ME, BUT I DO! I NEED TO BUILD A RELIABLE CORE AUDIENCE BEFORE I MAKE MY DEBUT IN THE SURFACE WORLD! YOU CLEARLY HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RUTHLESS THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS CAN BE!]"

Her nervousness grows and Alphys starts to look for any kind of support from around her. She's about to turn to Papyrus until she realizes he's too starry-eyed to even take part in the argument. _Figures._

"Like I already said, _I don't care_! I'm finding the human now. You'd better stay out of my way!"

Undyne is about to turn away and to be stopped by Mettaton, when the door to Grillby's suddenly opens. They stop to see who's stepped out.

Sans is standing there with his hands in his pockets. After him follows a human child in a striped shirt. They stop next to the short skeleton.

"uh oh. looks like we crashed an interesting party."

Undyne reacts immediately, summoning a blue spear and approaching the human in heavy steps.

"I'll ask you later why you've been hiding them, _Sans_ , but right now – prepare yourself, human!"

Before they can even open their mouth, Mettaton has already darted in front of Undyne.

"[OH NO YOU DON'T, DARLING! I ALREADY TOLD YOU, I NEED MY TIME WITH THE HUMAN FIRST!]"

Undyne halts, but her fury has doubled by now.

"Mettaton, get out of the way unless you _really_ wanna dance!"

Mettaton only strikes a pose with one arm at his rectangular side.

"[BRING IT ON.]"

It really looks like they're about to go at it when Alphys finally gathers enough courage to step between them.

"S-s-stop it, both of you! That's enough!"

She shouts, deciding things have escalated far enough in this short amount of time. Undyne and Mettaton both seem surprised, even if the latter can't really emote.

"Alphys, step out of the way! I'm sorry, but this is my job!"

Undyne insists, causing Alphys to actually waver a little. She quickly becomes her nervous self again.

"E-even if it i-is, it's not l-like the human is g-going anywhere, r-right? Instead of f-fighting amongst ours-s-selves, we could m-maybe t-talk about it o-over d-dinner or s-something, right?"

Regardless of how she feels, Alphys does her best to maintain her position as she explains her point. Papyrus seems to have come out of his daze enough to sense the tense atmosphere.

Since the taller skeleton finally registers his brother's presence, the two shoot each other quick looks. The human seems to be considering their options.

Sans is the one to break the short silence.

"what do you think, kid? wanna discuss things over dinner?"

Everybody, some more surprised than others, turn to face the human. They look at Sans for a moment before facing the rest of the accidentally formed group.

"Yeah! I think we can work something out!"

What they say causes a stunned silence to take over.

.

It's no more than five minutes later that the six people who'd run into each other have taken over the largest table at Grillby's. The canine unit has been chased out by Undyne, who told them they could come back to loiter after doing their jobs.

A lot of tension and even more frustration has settled into the air. Undyne is seated between Alphys and Papyrus. Papyrus has Sans on his other side, who in turn is seated next to the human. The human is between him and Mettaton, who is sitting on the other side of Alphys.

Undyne is throwing a death glare toward the human, but they don't seem too concerned.

"OUT OF ALL PLACES TO GATHER, WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE AT GRILLBY'S?"

Papyrus' complaint cuts through the air and opens the floodgates for more conversation.

"come on now, bro. you can't think it's that bad."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I DON'T THINK YOU EVEN REALIZE HOW YOU SMELL WHENEVER YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE."

"I don't think it's that bad in here."

"UNDYNE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU'RE TAKING HIS SIDE!?"

"[WELL I AM CERTAINLY NOT. IT'S DISGUSTING IN HERE. WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A TABLE AT MTT RESORT INSTEAD!]"

Though Grillby can't emote either, he seems fairly hurt by the topic while observing the scene from behind the counter.

"S-SEE, METTATON AGREES WITH ME! AND HE'S SUPER POPULAR!"

"I-I don't t-think that s-sort of t-thing really m-matters, Papyrus..."

The conversation is interrupted by the human's chuckle.

Everyone suddenly remembers what they're here for, and vacant glances toward the table are taken _en masse_.

"Look... Whatever you want from the human, I'm sorry, but me fighting them takes priority. There's just no way around it."

Undyne says this firmly, even if there is a hint of gentleness in her tone, too. She folds her arms on the table and peers at the human with her one eye again.

"[I STILL DISAGREE. YOU CAN BREAK THE BARRIER WITH THEIR SOUL EVEN AFTER I'VE HAD MY TIME WITH THEM.]"

"D-do we r-really have t-to do th-that after all t-this, Mettaton? M-maybe we should j-just give up and g-go home..."

Alphys seems rather unsure, which annoys the robot anew.

"[NO WAY! WHAT DID WE COME HERE FOR IF–]"

"DO WE REALLY HAVE TO FIGHT THEM?"

Papyrus' comment makes Mettaton go quiet and Undyne shows a saddened expression. She lets her determination show a moment later.

"Yes, Papyrus. We have to. In fact..."

Undyne gets up and faces the human.

"You. Me. Outside. _Now_."

"UNDYNE..."

"Don't worry, Papyrus. I can take her."

Unexpectedly, it is the human who speaks. Papyrus shows a surprised expression to them, while they just wink at him in return. A very Sans-like thing to do, he recognizes.

"that's the spirit, kid."

"NGAH! Whose side are you on?!"

Undyne shouts at the skeleton before marching out of the bar. The human follows shortly after.

* * *

 _[A/N] Thanks, imnotraven16! Glad you liked the chapter._


	12. Chapter 12

It's an out-of-place scene. Undyne and the human are standing where the human's and Papyrus' fight usually takes place, right before the entrance to Waterfall. Somehow, even here, the wind is howling.

Undyne is not wearing her helmet – come to think of it, the human has no idea where she's left it for this whole time. Her red hair blows through the air as she summons a new spear by her side and takes a firm hold of it.

"Somebody may have filled you in already, but... We need seven human souls, and King Asgore will become a god. Six. That's how many we have collected thus far."

As the head of the Royal Guard continues her speech, the rest of the group finally step outside of Grillby's. They form a small audience a safe distance behind the human. Though the human glances at them over their shoulder, Undyne pays them no mind.

"Understand? Through your... Ugh. It's so damn cold out here."

It seems she's running out of patience.

"Look, the point is that your sacrifice will change everything for us monsters. Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom!"

Undyne poses heroically and the human nods, smirking as they get ready for the fight.

"I'll show you how determined monsters can be! No more running away!"

Immediately, the human sees their soul change color from a brilliant red to a light green as Undyne's magic takes hold.

"En guarde! As long as you're green you can't escape!"

The human feels their feet get stuck to the ground. However, how monsters fight is always fair. It always leaves a chance for escape, no matter how small. For Undyne's fight, a blue shield materializes in the human's hand.

A moment later spears start to attack the human. The first attack is always the easiest, as three spears are thrown straight at them from Undyne's direction. They block it easily with the small shield.

"Not bad! Then how about THIS!?"

More spears start to lunge toward the human, but they protect themselves admirably. Every time Undyne sends out another attack, their shield is already turned toward that direction as if they already know what the attack will be.

After many blocked attacks Undyne relents on her green magic, as it's not working as well as she'd hoped. The human sees their soul change back into the usual red and they grin. Undyne is fired up.

The shield has disappeared now that they've gained the ability to dodge. Undyne summons more of her sharp weapons and throws them at the human's feet, but they're already leaping backwards.

Spears shoot up from the ground to their left, but once again, they're taking a step to the right instead like a well-rehearsed dance.

It's only after several similar attacks that Undyne gets to the point of annoyance where she uses her green magic again. But even when holding the human in place, they still have the shield, and they still block all of her attacks so easily.

 _What's with this human...?_

She starts switching in and out of her green magic unexpectedly. The human is still dodging and blocking.

"NGAHH! That's it for warming up!"

Undyne materializes a spear into her hand and runs toward the human. She pokes it toward their stomach, but they twirl to her right. She follows the movement by swinging the spear after the child.

Finally she gets a hit in, and they lose their balance and stumble into the snow. She grins now that's _she's_ gained the upper hand, confidence beaming through her as she quickly follows and tries to stab the human on the ground. They yelp and roll to the side just in time, then get up and start to run.

Undyne realizes they're rushing away and tries to block their path with a wall of spears emerging from the ground. They jump over it before it can fully push out and seem to sigh to themselves in relief.

"STOP RUNNING AWAY!"

Undyne shouts angrily after the human as she rushes after them. Her green magic can't reach them from this distance... Though she's usually fast, the snow and her armor are slowing her down.

Her magic spears disappear out of the way as she chases the human past their "audience" and toward the snowy forests outside Snowdin.

Mettaton has folded his arms as he gazes after them.

"[I GUESS I WORRIED OVER NOTHING. THAT KID IS TOUGHER THAN I THOUGHT!]"

Papyrus agrees with a firm nod.

"I THOUGH UNDYNE WOULD BEAT THEM FOR SURE... I'M IMPRESSED! NOW I UNDERSTAND HOW THEY GOT PAST ME SO EASILY!"

Sans shows an amused expression. He wonders if the kid had to reset or if they were already so accustomed to fighting Undyne that they already had all the moves memorized.

He should check later.

"H-hey, o-our food m-must be do-done by now. W-we should g-go back ins-side."

The others easily agree with Alphys as they go to reclaim their table. Now it's just a waiting game to see when _those two_ will be back.

.

Most of the unhealthy fries, burgers and drinks are finished by the time one of the brave combatants enters Grillby's again. The human smiles as they make their way to the table, alone.

A wave of uncertainty brushes over everyone, and Alphys is quick to ask, as she's probably the most concerned that Undyne is missing.

"S-so... How d-did it... G-go?"

The human claims their seat between Sans and Mettaton and looks at the fries placed there, clearly hungry since they didn't get to their food before. They prioritize clearing up the situation, though.

"Well..."

They shrug and slide their finger over the edge of the plate.

"Undyne chased me into the forest. Eventually she started to get so cold it was hard for her to keep up. I felt a little bad, and I thought it was pretty cold, too. So I stopped running and said that maybe we should just go for some hot cocoa."

Sans feels more at ease. It seems like it went down peacefully. Smart move, as he definitely wouldn't be that helpful to the human if one of his brother's friends was murdered. The _only_ friend of his brother's.

"A WISE CHOICE! HOT COCOA ON A COLD DAY WARMS ME RIGHT UP EVERY TIME!"

"[DO SKELETONS EVEN FEEL THE COLD...?]"

"we feel it all the way in our bones."

"SANS! NOT IN FRONT OF METTATON!"

The human notes Papyrus is entirely covered in newly purchased Mettaton merchandise. It's apparent the robot has taken advantage of the situation.

Alphys isn't yet convinced by the human's story and brings the topic back.

"S-so w-what happened th-then?"

The human shrugs.

"She seemed a little angry. But she didn't attack me again, just walked away. I think she might've gone home, since she wasn't here when I came back."

Finally, the scientist visibly relaxes.

"O-oh, t-that's good... N-not that s-she was a-angry! That s-she was... Um... N-nevermind..."

She goes into an overly flustered state and ends up biting her claws in nervousness.

"[WELL, DARLING! SINCE THE HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD IS NOWHERE IN SIGHT, YOU CAN FINALLY TAKE PART IN MY SHOWS! OH, BUT PRETEND THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON FOR THE AUDIENCE BEFORE I GIVE YOU THE CUE, ALRIGHT? GREAT!]"

Mettaton quickly takes over the conversation and the human looks slightly overwhelmed. They point down at their food.

"Can I finish this first...?"

"heh. they've got their priorities right."

"OUT OF ALL PEOPLE, IT IS THE WORST THING TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU, SANS."

Mettaton huffs (as well as a robot can).

"[VERY WELL, BUT DO IT QUICKLY! I'LL BE WAITING!]"

He stands up and heads for the door, then barges through it and leaves the payment for someone else to take care of. Before the door after him closes, a short interaction can be heard.

" _[EVERYONE, WE NEED TO SHIP THIS EQUIPMENT BACK TO HOTLAND ASAP!]"_

Collective sighs and groans follow.

"W-well, s-since Mettaton is g-going, I-I need to r-run as w-well... Ah, n-not b-because of that! A-although I made i-it s-sound like t-that's the r-reason... N-now I've m-messed this up c-completely... I, uh, I need t-to go!"

Alphys stammers awkwardly and stands up. She takes some gold out of her pocket and leaves in on the table before rushing anywhere.

"S-s-sorry!"

She escapes the scene through the door a moment later, leaving only the skeleton brothers and the human alone at the table. The human, after a couple seconds of processing the situation, finally starts eating their fries.

"WOWIE... I CAN'T BELIEVE THE HUMAN'S PRESENCE HAS ALLOWED ME TO MEET MY IDOL! YOU ARE TRULY A BETTER FRIEND THAN I EVER IMAGINED! I THOUGHT THINGS LIKE LOOKING INTO MY MAILBOX AND TRYING THE LOCKED DOOR TO MY TOOLSHED WERE KIND OF WEIRD, BUT I'LL FORGIVE YOU BECAUSE OF THIS GESTURE!"

Papyrus' sincere words cause the human to choke on one of their fries. Sans chortles. This day has been a breeze so far.


	13. Chapter 13

After finishing their food at Grillby's, the human heads to Hotland to take part in Mettaton's various shows. The skeleton brothers go home to watch the show, too curious to miss out on it – especially Papyrus feels this way. Mostly Papyrus. Papyrus might've dragged Sans in front of the TV.

The afternoon is spent in front of said device as various puzzles and challenges take place. Sans comes in and out of the house between shows while Papyrus is mostly glued to the screen even during commercial breaks.

It's only when the end of the show nears that the shorter skeleton actually gains some interest in the entertainment. He sits tight next to his brother as the battle between Mettaton and the human takes place. It's an exciting event to say the least, especially when Mettaton's new body premieres.

Papyrus nearly faints on the spot.

Once the spectacle is finally over with a heart-felt moment from fans calling into the show, the usually happy and almost _obnoxiously_ optimistic skeleton is sobbing. Sans isn't sure if he should try to comfort his brother or if that'll just make the emotional reaction worse. In the end he ends up feeding Papyrus some of the leftover spaghetti from their fridge (of course). He eats it while still sobbing.

It's maybe an hour later that there's a knock on their door and it's not hard to guess who it's from. Since Papyrus is still upset – even if the crying has ceased – Sans is the one to let the person outside, in.

"hi, kiddo. you put on quite the show just now."

The human smiles in response and enters the house when Sans makes way for them. Papyrus catches the beginning of the conversation and darts up from his spot on the floor. He had lied down there due to all the emotions working their way through him and making him immobile.

"HUMAN! THAT WAS TRULY A SPECTACULAR SHOW! NO MEANS OF EXPRESSING MY ADMIRATION FOR IT ARE ENOUGH! AND, ADMITTEDLY, I AM JEALOUS YOU GOT TO TAKE PART IN IT!"

They chuckle at the passionate greeting and do an expressive bow in return.

"BECAUSE OF THIS FEAT, I WILL INVITE YOU TO MY SUPER SECRET TRAINING SESSION WITH UNDYNE!"

"weren't you going to invite them anyway, bro?"

"I KNOW OF NO SUCH THING. ALTHOUGH IF SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE SUGGESTED SUCH A THING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GENEROUS DEED FROM A VERY GENEROUS, COOL DUDE!"

The skeleton seems to have completely regained his usual composure and the human seems to like the cheery banter. That only ups Papyrus' confidence.

"SO COME WITH ME, HUMAN! UNDYNE IS SURELY WAITING FOR US – well, for me – IMPATIENTLY! SHE LOVES MY COMPANY! AND HATES SURPRISES... BUT THIS ONE SHE'LL LOVE, I CAN FEEL IT IN MY BONES!"

A second passes. Sans is on the verge of laughter, about to comment on it.

"CAN IT, SANS. IT SLIPPED OUT."

He ends up saying nothing about it, but his amused expression has already been noted by the two other people there.

"well, uh, you should probably run along, then. the training won't complete itself."

"FOR ONCE YOU HAVE THE DECENCY TO ENCOURAGE PRODUCTIVITY! I'M ALMOST PROUD!"

Papyrus turns to the human and opens the door wide for them.

"LET US GO, HUMAN!"

They nod and are about to follow Papyrus outside when Sans speaks up again.

"hey, kid."

They stop to face him, confused at being stopped like this. The silence is very short.

"have fun, won't ya?"

It's with a smile that the human finally exits the house. Sans is left alone to wonder what even made him say a thing like that. He guesses he's a lot softer than he thought.

Or maybe he just feels guilty.

.

For the rest of the evening, instead of checking in on his jobs, Sans finds himself locked in the True Lab again.

It's always this one room he has adopted for himself. It's on the bigger side, but it's filled with equipment that looks strange to the average person. Some of it is active. Shelves with science books and papers are propped up against the wall. There's an empty black doorway by them in addition to the door leading into the hallway.

It's mostly clean and organized, though some dust is beginning to gather under the furniture. There are empty bags of different unhealthy treats both in the trash can and in the area near it.

The papers he's studying are once again scattered on the desk, but to him, they're perfectly in order. It allows for better thought process to just place them where he naturally feels is right. Alphys works very much the same way.

Right now he's looking at the research he has done on the human. Honestly, there isn't much to write down about them. It's clearly their Determination that allows them to cheat death and go back in time, altering the timeline the way they wish.

It's something else that interests Sans. In the case of all the other humans, their Souls persist even though their bodies have been killed. The current time hasn't been erased by them.

The circumstances around this particular fallen human are different. He knows the source, but he can't figure out the equation. He's missing a piece.

 _determination + x = time travel_

Gaster had this "piece" down without even knowing it yet. The theory _was_ there, but Sans can't remember much of it and the notes are incomplete. The machine is broken and probably can never be fixed.

Besides, these might not even be the only parts to the equation. There could still be more besides "x".

Not knowing is frustrating. Sans gave up on this research a long time ago, but for once he has gained an ounce of his motivation back. It's all because of the human, too.

It actually bothers Sans how much of their fates is truly in their hands. If he could figure this out, he could try to fix things. Gain back control. The illusion of control.

Sans buries his face in his palms and sighs. He's been stuck on this for too long. He needs a break.

He stands up and puts on his slippers that lie vacant on the floor. Then he goes for the door and enters straight into Alphys' lab through it, once again.

"hey, alphys."

There's a noise coming from upstairs which he assumes belongs to the scientist. The automatic door shuts after him and he follows the noise.

"you here?"

As he asks this, he takes the escalator upstairs. He finds these things really convenient, since he doesn't have to walk. If Papyrus didn't hate them so much, he'd ask to get one in their house.

"I-I'm here. Hi S-sans."

Alphys doesn't come to greet him, so he just casually walks into her room. He spots her by her working counter right away, the powered down Mettaton (in his new fabulous form) seated there. He's just gotten a new pair of legs, it seems.

"oh, yeah. of course youre busy with that."

Alphys seems to be working on putting the arms together now. She finally glances up to meet Sans' gaze.

"I-it's okay, I-I'm not t-that b-busy. W-was there s-something you n-needed?"

Sans shifts, hands in his pockets as usual.

"not really... well."

It's unusual for Sans to portray any uncertainty, so Alphys completely stops what she's doing just to face him. There's disbelief in her eyes, but also curiosity.

"I-I can t-tell it's something. Y-you can talk to m-me, you know..."

The fact that she's trying to be reassuring causes Sans to feel a little more at ease. He doesn't exactly need to be reassured about anything and she's reading him completely wrong, but it's such a nice gesture he can't help himself.

"so serious. i was just going to ask your opinion."

Alphys' face fills with realization and embarrasment.

"O-oh no, I-I'm sorry! I-I just... Um... W-what did you w-want to ask m-me about?"

She quickly stops herself from getting into an awkward ramble and directs the conversation back to the original topic Sans had in mind.

"i don't know if you've noticed, but the human is trying to figure some things out about the underground."

Alphys hesitates before responding.

"Y-yeah, I've n-noticed... I d-do keep th-them on video f-feed a l-lot of the time, after a-all."

She fidgets with her claws. Then she shows a tad of surprise when she seemingly figures something out.

"I-is that w-what you w-wanted to a-ask me about? Y-you want to k-know if I'd t-tell them a-about it?"

Sans shrugs at that, his face as neutral and unreadable as usual. The fact that he's quiet says plenty enough in itself. Alphys looks stunned.

"I-I'm surprised. Y-you've been s-so adamant at k-keeping everything u-under wraps... I-it's not l-like I disagree w-with that sentiment t-that much, b-but..."

"i've tried everything else, haven't i? if they're going to keep altering time, i might as well accept–"

Sans pauses himself, careful with his words. He hasn't told the whole truth to Alphys and he doesn't intend to.

"...i might as well try to use their power to set some things right."

Alphys is far from stupid. She notes the pause, but she also already knows Sans only ever speaks in half-truths nowadays unless he has to.

"I-if it w-was me, I'd..."

She thinks on it a little bit.

"I'd p-probably tell th-them. B-but I know y-you don't r-really want to. T-the human seems like a g-good person, d-don't they? I... I th-think I would t-trust them. I-in fact, I intend to."

Sans remembers going through his notes now that he's knowingly doing something different from usual. He knows what Alphys means by that, and he knows it's going to be alright. So he gives an encouragement.

"they do seem like a good kid."

But even if they seem like one, Sans still hasn't decided on whether it's true. He wonders if he ever will.


	14. Chapter 14

"morning, kid. have fun yesterday?"

The human has spent another night on the skeleton brothers' couch. Sans had no knowledge of this until he got back home in the middle of the night. As the human is folding away the sheets in the morning, though, Sans has snuck up on them in the hopes of startling them.

He succeeds, the human stumbling over their feet right away and nearly falling over. Their eyes are wide as they face him. Once they've recovered from the surprise, they visibly relax as their lungs slowly deflate.

"Ah, yes! Yeah, it was fun. A lot of unusual stuff happened, and I..."

They pause, suddenly looking a little unsure. They had misspoken again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean I just like the unusual stuff. I'm not playing a game or anything. I'm sorry."

As they become hasty and apologetic, Sans feels guilty yet again. Yet, he also feels hollow and has no trust for their flustered words and attitude. He still doesn't know what to feel and is once again second-guessing what he's been thinking of doing.

"geez, so tense. it's almost like you've seen a monster."

His usual attitude doesn't betray him. It comes so easy he occasionally tends to forget he's even troubled at all.

"you really need to stop overthinking so much."

"Overthinking?"

The human looks confused.

"what you're doing right now. stop it."

Sans gives an amused shrug and takes his hands out of his pockets. The human seems wary as he steps over and takes their pillow, then pulls the pillowcase off it and hands it over to be folded.

They look beyond surprised. It isn't hard to guess why.

"what? i'm not unable to do chores. you know that, right?"

He decides to take the opportunity to tease. Then, since the human is still stunned to silence, he just folds the pillowcase himself and hands it over. They finally snap out of it when they take it and pile it up with the bed cover.

"oh, but try not to tell papyrus. i've got a good thing going here."

Obviously, that's not the reason. The human's expression softens and they look away with a small smile. They maybe a kid, but they've figured it out a long time ago. It's not hard to see. It makes him feel a little awkward.

"I won't."

They promise it easily and fold the uncovered blanket, then pile it up with the rest of the beddings and put them next to the couch. They take off the bedsheet and Sans stretches out a hand, offering his help. The human hands him the other end of the sheet.

As they fold the sheet, Sans admittedly a little messier than the human, he speaks up again.

"hey. i have something i want you to do for me."

Though he seems casual enough, the human blinks as they face him.

"What is it?"

They meet in the middle as the sheet is folded in half. Since Sans is a bit taller, he ends up taking the whole sheet and folding it in the air before giving it back to the human. They put it in the pile with the rest and lift the whole thing onto the couch.

Sans keeps quiet until the human is done with the chore, hands sliding back into his pockets.

"today, before you do anything else, i need you to hang out with papyrus."

The human blinks and smiles.

"Sure! I love Papyrus. But why?"

The fact that they said something nice about his brother instantly makes this a lot easier for Sans. It also, very distantly, worries him.

"don't worry about it, kid."

Sans shrugs and heads for the door.

"he'll be with undyne, so her house is your best bet."

He drops this bit of advice before heading out, and the human blinks. Something's up, but the thought of it only makes them more excited.

.

It's still in the morning when the human arrives at Undyne's. The fire in her house has been put out and the doors and windows are wide open. There are some construction workers loitering around while a couple others can be seen inside, clearly checking the extent of the damage from their "cooking lesson".

Undyne herself is outside the house, bantering with no other than Papyrus. Sans' information was correct.

"I told you already, you're not a professional. They're not gonna let you help."

Undyne has one hand rested at her hip as she speaks.

"YOU'RE THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! YOU CAN JUST TELL PEOPLE TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO! BESIDES, YOU KNOW I CAN HELP!"

"Hey, you're not wrong! I guess I could–Ahh, the human is over there!"

It's then that the pair notices the approaching child and they greet them with a brief wave.

"OH, GREETINGS, HUMAN! I KNOW YOU CAN NOW LEAVE SNOWDIN A BIT MORE SAFELY, BUT... WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Undyne folds her arms and grins widely.

"Doesn't matter! Now we can invite them to the... The... What are we doing again, Papyrus?"

Papyrus turns to his friend, his confusion growing.

"WHAT! I THOUGH YOU KNEW! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CALLED ME HERE!"

Undyne suddenly matches his confusion, sprinkled with a tad of outrage.

"Don't be pulling my fin! You just showed up at my house, remember?"

Papyrus shows a visible frown despite having his features made of bone. The human watches the two friends curiously as Papyrus whips out his cellphone.

"NU-UH! I HAVE THE MESSAGE RIGHT HERE!"

The screen is shoved in front of Undyne and the human moves to peek at it, too.

 _come to my house, thx_

Undyne is quite annoyed by the message.

"What is this way of texting?! It has no PASSION in it! GRR!"

The human peers at the text and sighs. It's obvious what's going on, but they wait for the other two to figure it out on their own.

"RIGHT?! I THOUGHT SO TOO, SO I FIGURED YOU REALLY NEEDED MY HELP! I RUSHED RIGHT OVER AND SAW THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, SO I ASSUMED YOU REQUIRED MY SUPERIOR WOODWORKING SKILLS!"

"No, I didn't call you over... But whoever did has taken my phone! I don't know how, because it was in the house when the fire went off... But that makes them even more of a creep!"

Undyne balls her hands into fists as she tries to get on top of the situation.

"IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMEONE WHO ONLY PUTS IN MINIMAL EFFORT! NO TRULY DEVOTED FIEND WOULD IGNORE SUCH A DETAIL AS MIMICING YOUR UNIQUE STYLE OF WRITING!"

"Yeah! Hey, what do you mean by unique...?"

Undyne is all fired up until she realizes how Papyrus just worded his sentence. She pushes it aside quickly, though.

"NO MATTER! Once I find that lazy, prank-loving– _Wait._ "

"YES? YOU WERE ABOUT TO GO ON A LENGHTY RANT? PLEASE CONTINUE!"

Papyrus waits excitedly as Undyne seems to have entirely halted her threats. She blinks a few times, giving glances around and one toward the human. They shrug in response, smiling.

"You don't think it's–"

When she finally speaks again, she's immediately interrupted by something.

" _...you n-need me to go h-here? Why? W-wait, w-w-where... H-how am I-I h-here?! Sa–"_

"Alphys?"

Undyne recognizes the voice and says the name of the monster it belongs to. The stuttering stops and a moment later the familiar scientist appears from right behind the corner, now in Undyne's yard. She's holding a picnic basket.

"U-u-undyne, hi! I-I was j-just, umm..."

She keeps looking from side to side, little beads of sweat falling down her face. Undyne seems nothing but glad to see her.

"Hey, I didn't expect to see you today! You should totally join us to hang out!"

Alphys blushes and tries to hide it with one claw, while the other holds the basket.

"O-o-oh, if it's n-no bother, I-I suppose... S-sure! W-what are we d-d-doing?"

"WE'RE CONFLICTED. WHO WERE YOU TALKING TO JUST NOW?"

Alphys flinches at the question.

"Yeah! We heard you talking to someone. Did you bring a friend?"

Undyne confirms Papyrus' question. She usually asks questions right away, but she was so pleasantly surprised she hadn't had the time yet. Though it's an innocent question, Alphys is clearly bothered by it. The ones who know the answer are uncertain if they should say.

"I-I was j-just..."

Alphys shuffles. The others wait.

"T-talking... To... M-myself?"

It's the best she can do, and surprisingly enough, everyone seems satisfied by the answer.

"Haha, really? That's such a geeky thing to do! I love it!"

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS ALSO TALKS TO HIMSELF. WHENEVER I COME BY A MIRROR, I REMIND MYSELF OF HOW GREAT I AM! THE SECRET TO SUCH GREATNESS IS BELIEVING IN ONESELF!"

"Yeah!"

The human snickers at the interaction, then goes to take the picnic basket from Alphys. She lets go of it, stunned, like she'd forgotten it was even there. They speak a suggestion with a smile.

"Let's all of us go for a picnic."

Nobody opposes.

* * *

 _[A/N] Incase you notice an inconsistency in the near future, I changed a sentence in chapter 13._


	15. Chapter 15

The group make their way through Waterfall while engaging in happy chit-chat. The human is walking ahead and carrying the basket while Undyne and Alphys talk about an anime. Papyrus seems reluctant to engage in the conversation but does so anyway, without any complaint.

"SO... SO THIS PERSON IS JUST A NORMAL TEENAGER, BUT THEY RECRUIT HIM IN THE SPECIAL FORCES ANYWAY?"

"Exactly! It's really strange how humans would just hire someone like that? But I guess it's just a cultural difference?"

"T-they r-recruit him b-because he is v-very good with t-technology, and..."

Alphys is cut off by the overly excited Undyne.

"...and then he gets to meet all these hot babes that work there! It's an amazing show!"

"ANIME SURE DOES SOUND FUN!"

Papyrus sweats as he says this, for an unknown reason. The two other monsters don't notice anything unusual about him.

"Y-you should w-watch it w-with us sometime! I a-also know a f-f-few other g-good ones I think you'd r-really... Um... E-enjoy?"

Alphys sounds uncertain since she gets shy when trying to make new friends – even if she enjoys talking about her hobbies.

"sounds like fun. i'll bring the snacks."

Nobody knows when Sans appeared in their midst and everyone freezes instantly, turning to look toward him. Even the human stops and spins around.

"SANS! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?"

"no need to get your bones all rattled, pap. i just got here."

"That is seriously creepy! How did I not hear your footsteps at all?!"

While Undyne questions the shorter skeleton's presence, Alphys looks nervous for a moment or two, but it passes quickly and she adjusts her glasses casually.

"i'm light on my feet?"

Sans shrugs while he says this. It sounds more like a suggestion than of a normal statement. The human looks around while the conversation is going on, soon spotting a space covered in blue grass on the other side of a river.

"We could set up there!"

They point toward the spot and turn to face Undyne, who was clearly about to question Sans again just now. Undyne glares at the blue-coated comedian for a moment before she turns her attention back to the human.

"Sure, it seems like a good spot. Let's go!"

Letting Sans be for now, she hoists Alphys and the human up under her arms and causes both of them to gasp in surprise.

"U-u-undyne?!"

Before Alphys can even ask a proper question, Undyne is already laughing and jumping over the river to land on the other side. She puts the two shorter people down as soon as she lands. Alphys looks shaken and falls down, taking support from the ground. The human just laughs alongside the fish monster.

"Get across, nerds! I'm waiting!"

Undyne spins around to shout at the skeleton brothers. As soon as she does, she realizes Sans is gone from Papyrus' side. A confused look forms on her face.

"wow, you're slow, aren't ya? i'm already here."

Sans' teasing tone from her side causes her to jump again. While Papyrus crosses the river with an easy leap and receives impressed looks from Alphys and the human – which he gladly eats up – Undyne finds herself glaring at Sans again. This time for a different reason.

"WHAT?! Slow?!"

She's really starting to get annoyed now. Papyrus notes the tone and turns to Undyne with mild concern.

"Gah! I don't get you! Why are you purposefully trying to irritate me?!"

Sans realizes he might have pushed her buttons too much and tries to reel in the situation with a joke.

"sorry, didn't mean to make you jump outta your _scales_ there. boy, i probably shouldn't have gotten my feet wet in this area. i hope you don't _puffer_ too much because of me."

Papyrus smacks himself in the face in the background. Undyne stares.

"Did... Were those _fish puns_? Are you serious?"

Sans shrugs, looking quite pleased with himself. After another uncertain moment of silence, Undyne bursts back into laughter.

"Ahaha! I'll give it to you, those jokes were pretty... _finny_!"

Papyrus looks shocked. Sans chuckles, amused by the comeback. His strategy worked, for now – Undyne has momentarily forgotten about her anger and frustration.

"NOT YOU TOO, UNDYNE!"

"I a-also f-found them f- _fin_ tastic."

Papyrus gasps out of horror. The human starts to laugh as well.

"ALPHYS! NO! AND THE HUMAN, TOO! ALL OF YOU HAVE FALLEN VICTIM TO SANS' LOWGRADE HUMOR!"

Now that the mood is easy again, Undyne goes to take the picnic basket from the human's hand, takes out the folded blanket inside and hands the container back. She then spreads the thick sheet out on the grass and signs everyone to sit down.

"Let's get this picnic started!"

Everyone sits down on the edges of the blanket and the human sets the basket in the middle. Alphys looks inside it right away, curious, since despite bringing it over she has no idea what it holds inside.

"SO, WHAT ARE WE EATING? OH, I HOPE IT'S SPAGHETTI!"

Undyne looks a bit worried.

"Umm, Papyrus... When was the last time you ate something that isn't spaghetti?"

"YOU KNOW WHAT? I HAVE NO IDEA!"

She looks like her suspicions have been confirmed and sweats ever so slightly.

"Maybe I should teach you another recipe..."

It's really a half-mumble and she looks away as she says it. Sans silently hopes she does not, because he's slightly terrified of what anything else Papyrus cooks would taste like.

"U-um, t-this..."

Alphys gains everyone's attention. Sans would smirk here.

"Th-there's nothing b-but hot dogs i-inside."

There's barely even a beat of silence after.

"Not even a hot cat?"

The human's remark causes Sans to glance at them. They're smiling as usual, but meet his eyes knowingly. The inside joke actually amuses him, even if he doesn't remember having it in the first place.

"ALL I HEARD WAS THAT IT'S NOT SPAGHETTI. AND ANYTHING THAT'S NOT SPAGHETTI IS NOTHING SHORT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT!"

An opening.

"bro. the moment already _pasta_ -way."

"OH. MY GOD. ONE MORE PUN AND I'M DONE WITH THIS GET-TOGETHER!"

"But we haven't even eaten yet. And I'm having _sausage_ fun!"

The human holds up a questionable hot dog as they say this. Is that a water sausage...?

"THAT'S IT!"

Laughs fill the air as hot dogs are passed around the blanket. Similar jokes and conversations continue until most of the food is gone. Somehow, eventually, Undyne and Papyrus end up using the leftover hot dogs as weapons to fight and throw at each other, while Alphys takes pictures and updates her UnderNet account furiously. One can almost hear her thoughts about how cool Undyne looks.

The human and Sans are still on the blanket while the three others are having their moment. They find it amusing enough to sit on the sidelines and watch.

Unusually, the human breaks the silence this time.

"Hey, Sans. It was nice of you to organize this picnic."

Sans spends another moment quietly, then winks at them.

"i have no idea what you mean."

A short but comfortable moment follows as they both gaze at their mutual friends. Acquaintances? Frienquaintances. Sans and Undyne were never that close.

"i meant to talk to you more about what you asked from me. the favor to let you know more about this place."

The human turns to gaze at Sans. He keeps facing forward, but can see them in his peripheral vision. They've expected this conversation, but definitely not because they know it would come for sure.

"Will you do it?"

He finally faces them after the question is asked. There's no shift in his expression.

"you up for a walk?"

The child nods. Sans stands up and turns back to the group a short distance away.

"hey! me and the kid are gonna disappear for a few. we'll be back before you know it."

Alphys is the only one to acknowledge him. The two others are too into their play.

"O-okay, w-we'll be h-here when you c-come back."

Alphys is not one to deny Sans' requests, not that she really needs to. He slides his hands into his pockets and nods, then looks at the human. They stand up after him and dust themselves off.

"this way, kid."

They follow him out of the clearing, deeper into Waterfall, somewhere they've never been before. The walk is not long, but still enough to let a nervous air settle between the skeleton and human.

* * *

 _[A/N] Thank you, UdertalePancake! I originally meant for this story to be short-ish, but it keeps stretching out. We're either 1/2 or 2/3 done depending on how much text my ideas cause. I'll try to get it done asap, but I'm writing this one chapter by chapter._


	16. Chapter 16

They have barely walked any distance, but when the human looks over their shoulder, their friends are no longer in view. It startles them slightly, so they turn around and run a few steps to catch up with Sans.

"How do you do that?"

Finally, they actually ask. Of course they receive nothing but the usual grin in response. Sans doesn't even make a joke about it. The kid puffs up their cheeks in frustration.

"don't give me that look. i'm already complying, aren't i?"

Sans tilts his skull and soon comes to a stop. He turns to face forward and the human follows his gaze.

It's a pond with water falling into it from the surrounding rocks. The water must disappear somewhere underground, since it's not overflowing and neither does it form into any rivers.

He walks a bit deeper into the area, only far enough to lean into one of the large stones. After admiring the view for a second, the human follows and climbs on one of the grey, rough pieces of land. They sit down, facing Sans.

"Okay. We're at this _secret spot_ now, yeah?"

The human inhales, then exhales. They lean a bit forward.

"How do you do that?"

Sans blinks, then chuckles at their insistence. It's clear they've never gotten to ask that before.

"magic, of course."

The answer doesn't satisfy them at all. They look even more frustrated than before. Sans starts to feel they're pushing him a bit too much.

"kid. i said i would hear you out, but that doesn't mean i'll just give in to any request. don't think i don't want a favor in return."

Sans sighs and focuses his magic. He checks the human's LV and EXP, just like he would in the Judgement Hall. Even if he doesn't say he does this time.

"welp. you haven't killed anyone."

His eye sockets go black. As soon as they do, his smile seems hollow.

" **Not in this reset, anyway."**

A threatening air has taken over and the human finds themselves gulping. Did he bring them here to threaten them? How Sans can so easily go from calm to terrifying is something they'll probably never understand.

The skeleton shuts his eye sockets, and once he opens them, the little beads of light are back. It doesn't help the human's unease.

"i'll be 'frank' with you. i have no reason to trust you, even if i want to. all the things you've done... how you just treat everyone like they're game pieces to you. i don't know why you think i _would_ ever trust you."

The human brings a hand to their chest in reflex, then squeezes it into a fist.

"I... You remember?"

Suddenly, they're beginning to tremble – out of fear or sadness, Sans isn't sure. He shakes his head.

"nah, i don't remember any more than the others."

The trembling ceases with a small hiss of breath and the fist the human has formed lowers. A clear show of relief.

"...but i have ways of finding out. your sins are still being recorded."

Sans' eyes go dark yet again. The whole area seems dimmer, devoid of vivid color. Even if his posture still doesn't change, it's enough to make the human tense once more.

"and i recently revisited all of those recordings."

"W-wait, it's not... I... I didn't mean all those things, I just..."

The human stammers nervously and climbs off the rock to approach Sans. It's only a moment after that his eye flashes yellow and cyan and his left hand comes out of his pocket. With an easy wave of it, the human's soul turns blue and they're pinned against the very rock they were sitting on.

"Ahh!"

Their shout is clearly a startled one more than a pained one, and their face drains of color. Sans keeps them in this position, his left eye still flickering and glowing for a moment while the other stays dark.

"'circle number eight.'"

The human's breath hitches. They shake their head in denial, not wanting to have this conversation.

"'the anomaly killed no one but papyrus.'"

He isn't fazed by their reaction and keeps talking. It's about time to bring up the hard stuff.

"'circle number nine; the anomaly killed toriel and papyrus.'"

He pauses, looking uncertain for a moment.

"'circle number eleven; the anomaly showed no mercy. a good chunk of the underground is dead..."

"Sans, I can explain, please..."

"...that thing is not human. i have to stop them.'"

His hold on the human doesn't ease for a while. The silence builds for several moments, both of them completely stilled. Then, _finally_ , he lets go.

The human falls on their feet, still taking support of the rock. Sans' left eye has stopped glowing a while ago, but there's still a serious look on his face until he blinks again, and the white beads of light return.

"i'm sure i've offered you my friendship more times than i'm willing to count. but it's still not enough. you still toy with our fates, and expect something from me even then."

Tears form in the corners of the human's eyes. They've started to look desperate, though remain immobile and their gaze is averted. Sans' intimidation has worked miracles.

"sorry, kid. that's not how this works."

The human moves only to fall to their knees and the tears fall. They're quick to wipe them off without even giving a single sob, but they still tremble slightly.

"I...I know you just want the happy ending, and for me to stop resetting time. I know that's all I need to do and I'm sorry. I've done that many times, I... I just keep coming back, again and again, even if I know I can stop whenever I want to."

Their voice shakes as they explain, and they gain little confidence in their eyes as they look back up at Sans. He's slided his left hand back into his pocket and now faces away from the human, contemplating.

"i figured... you were unhappy, and that's why you kept resetting. so i kept trying to nudge you into the right direction. even now, i can't deny i'm still doing the same thing over and over."

Sans pauses, then looks at the human again as something dawns on him.

"heh. the definition of insanity, huh?"

His voice is bittersweet. The human's stare has become empty besides the small hints of worry. They know they've caused all of this, and it weighs on their soul. The skeleton shifts and approaches them by a couple steps.

He seems very certain of whatever comes next, his stare unrelenting as he faces the child. They're afraid to move, unaware what's going through his head right now.

"out there are people who don't know what you've done. they see you as their friend. so if you ever want anything from me again, make sure you don't hurt them. _especially_ my brother."

For once, Sans feels like he has the upper hand over the human. The _anomaly_. He has never had anything to bargain with them before, anything to hold against them to ask them to stop. For once he doesn't feel helpless and completely at their mercy. Now he has to be careful not to get too overconfident.

"I..."

The human averts their gaze toward the ground. They look uncertain, just like they have this whole time. When they finally speak, their voice is small.

"I don't want to hurt them... It's Chara who does."

Sans stares at them in disbelief, his confidence shifting.

He's heard that name before.

"how did you... that's the 'other being' that's in there with you? chara...?"

He's not taken aback often, and it shows. He likes to stay one step ahead, to know everything that goes on around him. The air around them flickers between the normal colors and the duller shades that are a manifestation of his anger. Eventually they settle on the latter again as he regains control of his train of thought.

"boy... this got awkward."

The air is thick with heavy emotions, but Sans can't help his tone. The human keeps their gaze on the ground, perhaps afraid. Maybe of Chara, rather than the monster before them. Wheels are turning inside Sans' skull.

"how..."

He starts, then falls into silence again. He's processing it all. Before he can form another question, the human speaks instead.

"Ever since I fell into that hole that put me into the Ruins, they've been there. At first I didn't know who it was."

The human raises their head, fear and sadness contorted and hidden behind a smile. A broken expression that leaves the skeleton momentarily speechless.

"They whispered things to me, told me about what was around me. They showed me I could go back in time."

They climb on their feet so they can properly face Sans. He keeps a wary stance, the topic keeping him on his toes.

"Chara's spirit clings to my soul. They hold a lot of anger and resentment, I can feel it. I... When I started going back in time, out of curiosity... I didn't realize why Chara wanted me to do that."

There's a distance between them the both of them seem to respect. Neither approaches the other nor breaks their invisible boundaries as the human's monologue continues.

"I didn't mean it, but... When that... "Eleventh" reset occurred, I just wanted to see what would happen. It broke my heart to kill everyone, but I did it anyway. It was an awful thing to do, but I figured, I can just make it all go back. There are no real consequences."

They look shaken, more so than before, when they speak next. They'd been on the route to calming down before this.

"Then when I faced myself in the mirror in New Home, Chara said... "That's me, Chara!" And I choked. I didn't notice what I'd been giving power to with everything I'd done. And then when I saw you again, you attacked me. I'd never been so surprised."

Sans felt strange not remembering any of this. Even if he'd read about it from his notes, it was hard to imagine himself in that position. He must've been very desperate at the time – then again, when an enemy had gained a lot of LV was when he dared to feel confident in battle. He must've seen through the facade and on some level, recognized Chara. Recognized what they could do.

"You told me everything was going to end. But even after killing me time and time again, I came back. And after so many times of fighting you that I lost count, I finally killed you."

Sans stands still and averts his eyes for a moment. An unpleasant feeling makes its way through him.

"but we're having this conversation now, so you must've stopped."

They give a slow nod at his reasoning. It's obvious he doesn't like the thought of dying, not really. Even if it's not something he hasn't considered.

"I felt so distant, almost like I was just a spectator as everything happened. You were right, it was so easy to keep trying to kill you when I had gained so much LOVE. If I kept going, I would have lost myself to Chara. I don't know what Chara would have done, but I don't think it would have been anything good. So I dropped my knife, and I reset."

Sans finally shifts slightly and steps back, then leans into the rock behind him like he had before. He has a much better handle on his thoughts at this point, but it doesn't change how crazy this mostly one-sided conversation is.

"I did what I had already done before and gave everyone their happy ending. For the longest time I didn't reset, but... In the end, I couldn't resist the temptation. So here I am again. Doing the same thing as you – the same thing, over and over... And..."

The human shrugs, timid.

"I think... Chara isn't as lonely when I'm here. I don't think they have any way to exist without clinging to my soul."

He feels his gaze drop to the ground below the human's feet. A familiar emptiness fills him. He's reluctant to even ask what he's about to, because if the answer is what he fears... Nothing will change.

"so that's it. you'll never stop resetting?"

The noises of the small waterfalls echo around them. The human looks solemn.

"That's it."

* * *

 _[A/N] Very uncertain about this chapter and everything that comes after._


	17. Chapter 17

The water keeps running pleasantly and the tiny, yellow flickers of light climb toward the cave ceiling. The rocks keep still, only humming the tune of the water as it falls. The dulled colors slide back to their lively origins and the skeleton who's letting go of his magic stares at the ground.

The human brushes some hair off their face as they look at the view. There's nothing they can say to apologize for everything. There's not any weight or meaning to another apology, anyway. They've just said they're going to keep everyone stuck in this circle, forever.

"you'll get bored, eventually."

Sans finally offers, still staring at the grass. The human faces him again.

"I don't know. Chara's hold on me isn't as strong. I have way more things I want to explore..."

They shuffle, averting their gaze to the same spot on the ground Sans is facing. Then they look up at him again.

"But while I'm here, we might as well make the most of it. Right?"

"..."

"screw you, kid."

An empty response. Sans knows it's not the human's fault entirely. If he just didn't lose progress every time... If he could find some motivation in each timeline. There's no way to go back, but if there _was_... Well, maybe he could make it so they'd never have to do that again. He'd make sure to try.

Originally, his intention was to collect information from the human during their chat. He's succeeded in that, but what he learned is that Chara travels inside this human's body.

But Chara's soul is not there. Chara's soul is...

Sans blinks.

A soulless creature with access to Determination. Just like that yellow flower. Just like the time machine in his "basement". He looks up to face the kid, clearly wearing some sort of surprising expression since they show a brief look of shock.

He reels himself in and forces his shoulders to relax. It's clear to both of them he's come to some sort of conclusion all of a sudden, and the child looks wary.

"wait, kid. what's your name?"

They seem to freeze up. A series of emotions flashes on their face. Conflict.

They bow their head.

"It's Frisk. My name is Frisk."

They're clearly reluctant, or perhaps ashamed, to say their name.

Sans stares, his expression unreadable as he thinks. He stops leaning into the rock.

"which one of you have i been talking to? frisk or chara?"

This answer doesn't take nearly as much time or effort, but the conflicted expression is still there.

"Both."

" _both_ , huh?"

There's curiosity in his tone. Something seems to click into place.

"the anomaly who changes time at their will. that's not entirely you, frisk. you navigate your way through this world, but as you said, you weren't the one who figured out you could change time."

"No. But honestly, I might've figured out how to do it without Chara's help, because somebody else also... Um, I think... If you want the resets to stop, you have to convince them as well, not just me. But I don't think somebody like Chara can be convinced, and..."

The human bites their lip.

"I don't know if I want the option taken away. To experience all these fun things again. S-since everyone forgets... Is it really such a big deal?"

And there goes all the rest of his sympathy. Straight out the window. He tenses, then relaxes. He stands up properly and turns away from the human.

"what's the point of doing anything when i know it's not permanent? there are no consequences, right? and i don't get a say. it feels pretty pointless. i'll always remember we keep going in circles because of what–"

He realizes he's said more than he intended to. His discipline crumbles.

"because of what happened. although i tell myself i gave up going back."

Even if he sort of told himself he wouldn't, he's giving the human what they want. He's giving them an answer to a mystery they've been trying to unfold. He feels like he's betraying himself, all the other versions of himself that have sufficient self-control.

He turns back around to face them. The human watches him, clearly ready to listen if he wants to give an explanation. He closes his sockets and gathers his thoughts once more.

"guess this is me giving up. once again."

He shrugs as he looks at the human.

"can't even gather enough willpower to say no to one kid. oh, well i guess two, technically."

The human is visibly shaken by the reaction. They've unintentionally gotten through to Sans with their questions without really sticking to their original, loose strategy. This has gone completely different from what they expected.

"hey. when you go to alphys' lab later... there will be a door you haven't seen before. and though i'm not sure this is the right choice... once you know what i know, maybe you'll find that kind side in you that wants to do the right thing."

Everything goes dark and then flicks back into its original state. Everything, that is, except for Sans. He's gone.

The human – _Frisk_ – doesn't even know what to say. This freedom to say whatever they wish, to go beyond the limits they've been drawn... It's wielded the result they wanted. It's rewarded their curiosity.

And they're admittedly nervous about what comes next.

On the opposite shore, they think they see movement. The human turns to look and sees a flash of yellow sink into the grass.

.

The walk back is much longer than the walk to the pond. Frisk's legs feel heavy because of the weight of the thoughts they're carrying. Their heart it pounding in their chest.

Luckily, it's not too long until they reach the field where the rest of their friends are. Papyrus is folding the blanket while Alphys holds the now empty picnic basket. Undyne seems to be looking around with concern until she spots the human.

"Guys, they're back!"

Relief washes over everyone as they face Frisk.

"Hi. Sorry, did I take too long?"

They bring themselves to smile as they walk up to the three monsters. Alphys shakes her head.

"I-I told them y-you're with S-sans, so they sh-shouldn't worry."

"SPEAKING OF SANS, WHERE IS HE? DID HE USE ONE OF HIS SHORTCUTS AGAIN?"

The human awkwardly rubs the back of their head. They don't usually have to lie like this.

"I guess? He said he had to work."

Undyne looks mildly bemused.

"Where...? He's a sentry, and the only living human in the whole Underground is literally right here!"

Papyrus speaks up before the anyone else has a chance.

"IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF HIS OTHER JOBS... ALTHOUGH I'M SURPRISED HE EVEN VISITS THEM?"

Undyne frowns.

" _Other jobs_ , huh? I don't know how that guy can work so many jobs and get away with being lazy in each one. I'm almost impressed."

Papyrus sighs in response to that.

"IT IS A TALENT OF HIS I'M NOT TOO PROUD OF, HONESTLY."

The tall skeleton puts the neatly folded blanket into the basket Alphys is holding, then takes the whole thing from her hand without much resistance.

"Well, either way, this was a fun picnic! Let's do it again sometime!"

Everyone seems to gain a smile at Undyne's statement as gazes are exchanged between the four people. Alphys nods timidly.

"I-it wouldn't b-be t-too bad t-to hang o-out with e-everyone a-a-again..."

The admittance is hesitant, and she looks to the side for a moment. A less happy expression crosses her features.

"I-I have to g-go now, though... I ha-have a lot of w-work to do."

"Oh, that's too bad. I guess I'll go hang with Papyrus, then! NGAH!"

Undyne passionately slams the skeleton on his back in a friendly gesture, and the other doesn't really even flinch. She's known to be very strong and even a slap can throw someone off their feet under normal circumstances.

"Y-yeah..."

Alphys fidgets and is about to turn away from Undyne when she's suddenly scooped under the fish monster's arm again. Before she can react, they're leaping over the river they crossed to get to this spot in the first place.

" _AAA! U-undyne!"_

" _Sorry, did I scare you? Hahaha..."_

Papyrus taps Frisk on their shoulder and they turn to face him with a small smile.

"WORRY NOT, DEAR HUMAN! I WILL CARRY YOU ACROSS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BOTHER YOUR SHORT FEET!"

They nod, and Frisk is scooped up very much like Alphys was just now. Before Papyrus can cross the river, though, he shows some hesitance.

"DID SANS REALLY SAY HE HAD TO WORK...?"

The question catches Frisk off guard. They'd never expected Papyrus to be so perceptive of their lies. They nod again, but the motion visibly carries uncertainty.

"I SEE."

The next moment, they're leaping over the river. Frisk is put down as soon as they're on the other side. Undyne and Alphys have walked ahead a little bit, catching up on something the human and Papyrus don't pay attention to.

"I WOULDN'T THINK TOO HARD ON WHATEVER SANS DOES WITH HIS TIME! IF IT'S NOT PUZZLE-MAKING, IT'S NOT WORTH IT! HE COMPLETELY DISMISSES THAT DUTY NOWADAYS."

With those parting words, Papyrus chases after the two girls ahead. Frisk looks after him for a moment, wondering how much exactly the taller skeleton knows. And whether those words had been said to convince the human, or...

There's a flash of yellow in their peripheral vision again. When they turn to look, it's once again disappeared into the earth.

Frisk starts taking steps toward where it sank.


	18. Chapter 18

More echo flowers come into view as Frisk follows the sight of the yellow flash of color to another room in Waterfall. They take it all in with their usual expression, looking around the room curiously.

They notice that a bridge of bell sprouts closes a gap over another bed of water. Knowing full well who it was made by, they exhale to calm themselves and cross it in soft steps.

Walking forward, they enter a room that's entirely dark except for a couple golden flickers – the ones that are all over this area. They focus on those as they wait for Flowey to pop up from the ground, which, he eventually does.

Frisk is now face to face with that yellow, happy-looking shadow of a monster. If this is the same as it was last time, the flower shouldn't remember anything of the past resets.

"What are you doing?"

The flower cuts the silence short and replaces the happy expression with a deeply irritated one.

"You act as if you've been here before... But that's not possible, is it? I don't... I..."

He seems confused by the circumstances. Frisk shows a soft smile in response, now having a confirmation that he _really_ doesn't remember.

"I'm sorry. I had to erase your memories too, Flowey."

The flower flinches at that, then shows an angered glare.

"You _WHAT_? How does a weakling like you have that kind of... I should _kill you_ right now!"

"But you won't. Because I'll just come back. You need the other human souls."

Once again, the flower startles at the words being spoken. His plan is known by this human, who likely will make sure not to make it come true. He must've failed with that plan somehow since they're here, anyway.

"No matter. I don't know what you want with that Smiley Trashbag, but..."

Flowey calms somewhat as he quickly snaps back into his devious tone and cold planning.

"I'm sure it'll be... Interesting. Let's have lots of fun together, _Frisk_."

There's something unreadable about the way he says the human's name. They feel their footing become less confident as they look at the soulless flower disappearing. A flicker of fear and conflict shows in their eyes before they force it away with a shrug of their head.

.

Hours pass, gleeful despite the other events of today. Frisk meets Undyne and Papyrus' at the latter's house. They deliver a letter which ends up with them on a "pretend date" with Alphys, as the scientist describes it. The strange event is highlighted by Undyne – Alphys' obvious crush – actually running into them on said date.

Sometime after that, Frisk receives a call from Papyrus. They know it's the call that will urge them to visit Alphys' lab.

They take a deep breath when they finally reach the laboratory. Frisk walks inside, nerves building in their stomach as they ignore the note they've read more than once, and instead go straight for the elevator. The bathroom sign does nothing to cheat them.

The elevator ride is disturbed by an apparent malfunction as they drop to the bottom floor. The claustrophobic box rumbles, a red light blinks and a loud warning sound goes off. The human finds it hard to keep their footing as it falls at a rapid pace, then comes to a sudden, jerky stop.

It's minutes later that they shake out of their mild panic, despite having experienced this before, and manage to stumble out of the now open lift. They would buy themselves some popato chisps to get a new healing item, but they're still out of gold, so they just continue on their journey through the eerie True Lab.

The place is unsettlingly dark as they go through the long hallways. Strange sounds, perhaps from the old, worn ventilation system, echo as an addition to their steps and heavy, shaky breaths. Every now and then they turn around to see if someone's following them. There's no evidence of such a thing, they just keep getting a feeling...

.

Several Amalgamate encounters later Frisk passes the room full of beds meant for the fallen down monsters. They look around, the silence still causing shivers to ride up their spine as they try to decide which direction to go first.

They go for the door to their left, at the very "top" of the room. They've started to walk faster, as they feel an unstable presence nearby. The same one that would tuck them into that one bed that, for some reason, looks so very inviting... Like if they lied down to sleep, they could rest there for ages. To forget all worries of real life. To...

They shake their head, now even quicker on their step as they leave the odd temptation behind.

As soon as they do, they blink in surprise. Even if Sans had told them that there would be a new door inside the lab, a part of them refused to believe it. It's a few meters to their right, before the ventilation room that's full of fans and creepy, thick mist.

Carefully, Frisk approaches the door. There's no light coming from under it, but it must be the one Sans told them to go into. They swallow as they stop before it, studying the brown wood of the sturdy entrance before gathering enough determination to turn the knob.

As they push it open, they're met with darkness. Not pitch black, but more like the darkness in the rest of the giant lab. Come to think of it, why _is_ the place so big? They briefly wonder how it was used before Alphys became the Royal Scientist. Certainly the lizard alone wouldn't need that much space, right?

Their gaze roams over the bookcases, the strange machines making quiet noises in the center, and finally settles on the desk right in front of them, at the back of the room. It's hard to see, but it appears to be filled with papers.

Furrowing their brows, they walk in deeper, the door left open after them. Frisk glances at the machines they pass from the right.

 _The machines are running. I don't know what they're for, but... They look familiar._

Chara's whisper causes them to pause. Why do they recognize the constructs? Frisk knows they're deeper into the mystery now and their curiosity finally leads them over to the desk.

Papers and blueprints scattered across the surface. There are a lot of numbers and diagrams neither Frisk nor Chara can make sense of, even if it's not too dim here to read. They recognize that on some of them, things about 'the anomaly' are written. The thought that these might be some of the notes Sans mentioned in their earlier conversation crosses their mind.

Finally, they focus on some actual sentences in the papers and start to read out a part. This particular one seems new in comparison to the rest. The date is later.

 _.201x_

 _New proof for hypothesis about time travel: Determination alone is not enough for a human to 'reset'. They need a sufficient vessel, just like monsters do. A vessel with no soul. That would also explain why 'the yellow flower' is capable of it–the flower does not possess a soul of its own, and it hasn't proven to be able to otherwise manipulate our universe with its current power. Further research required to completely prove hypothesis._

They show a brief look of surprise. This reminds them of Sans' handwriting, but it's grammatically correct and an amount of care has been put into the wording. It's written by someone who takes their work seriously.

Frisk puts down the paper and finds themselves another one to take a look at. This one causes them to crunch their face in discomfort. It's notes on their behaviour, written in a much lazier manner to before despite clearly being printed off a computer. They recognize the goofy font.

 _following the anomaly–day 1_

 _they're being open about remembering past timelines. only to me though. they're playing along for everyone else. at least they have some common courtesy._

 _they expressed a need to talk to me about something. no idea what the motivation is. i said i'll think about it._

 _something's off_

 _no reset yet_

 _fta–day 2_

Frisk pauses just to frown. The title is actually shortened even though copying and pasting isn't that difficult of a task. It isn't even capitalized. Where did that proper writing from the other paper go? Even they can do better, and they're technically still a child. They shake their head and move on, feeling a bit too much like Papyrus right now.

 _fta–day 2_

 _the kid slept at my house. i told them i'd hear them out. they say this timeline is different for them, somehow. dunno what they did to achieve that._

 _i checked. still no resets. guess i'll have that chat with them now._

 _they brought up gaster_

 _i told them i dont know who he is_

 _they said that gaster is listening_

 _they also said 'someone is in there with them'_

Frisk frowns again when they notice that in the next log, "FTA" has been dropped completely, like even that was too much effort to put in.

 _day 3_

 _the kid went back twice today. it was a small loop from fighting undyne. i'm thinking they died to her attacks twice. impressively small number. experienced a vague deja vu during the fight. (_ _memories are being transported through timelines?_ _maybe)_

 _if they're aware of secrets, they're not spreading them around. what's their game?_

 _oh, also, they spared undyne. still haven't killed anyone this time._

 _papyrus really likes the kid_

 _i'm starting to think studying them might help me remember. or maybe rediscover how time travel works (unlikely). not sure if they'd cooperate willingly, though._

 _4–_

 _Sigh._

 _4_

 _confronted the anomaly._

Frisk suddenly bites their bottom lip in a secret show of nervousness. This is what happened today. Sans' honest thoughts on it worry them. They also note he's gone back to using "anomaly" instead of the more laid back "kid", which really doesn't help their concern.

 _a lotta strange info came up. they were taught how to go back in time by the being attached to their soul. that being is chara. chara, as in the first fallen human. yup, weird, i know._

 _went through my timeline notes before our lil convo. they've been up to some not-so-nice things in the past. they say that's partially chara's fault._

 _they also said they won't stop resetting. s'pose that means we can't be pals? a shame._

 _fair warning: i agreed to explain some stuff to them. maybe they're not as bad as they seem._

Frisk is about to stop reading as they reach the bottom of the page. They're about to let out a small sigh of relief, but it gets caught in their throat when they notice there's still something more. A second page with an addition to the notes from the fourth day.

Their breath hitches.

 _something i've been wondering about._

 _how much of 'frisk' is actually frisk? and how much is chara?_

They let the paper fall from their hand and step back. Chara has gone completely silent, but yet they can feel that suffocating presence. The question that really worries Frisk the most, the one they'd been putting off this whole time, has been thrown at their face like this. A question they wanted to and _still_ want to stomp into the ground with the deepest agression they've ever felt by themselves.

"so... what do you think, _anomaly_?"

A voice behind them causes them to snap around, eyes wide with plain fear.


	19. Chapter 19

Sans is standing there, at the side of the room. There's absolutely nothing unusual about his disposition as he leans against the wall a couple feet from the open door. Frisk shakes as they stare back at his calm expression, feeling like they've been caught doing something awfully wrong.

After what feels like minutes of silence, the skeleton shrugs far too casually in contrast to the tenseness Frisk is portraying, and speaks.

"i _just_ asked what you think, you know. only one of us has the _brains_ for it, anyway."

It's his usual drawl, and though his smirk isn't quite reaching his eyes, he still makes lame jokes as usual. The way he's acting portrays a confidence that subconciously worries the human, and they stumble a step backwards. The desk behind them rattles as they accidentally bump into it, startling themselves anew.

Sans' expression now seems to light up for real. The human fumbles and fidgets as is they were Alphys, eyes darting to the floor in embarrasment. 'A deer in headlights' is the term from the human world that comes to Sans' mind, even if he doesn't remember ever witnessing what that would even look like. He gives an educated guess that this is exactly that, though.

"you act like i'm 'bout to attack you. it's not happening. sounds like too much work anyway... you can breathe."

After a few more nervous beats, Frisk finally follows the suggestion and they allow themselves to relax ever so slightly. They take a deep breath and steady their footing.

"Y-you just caught me off guard!"

They act brave, but the stutter in their voice betrays them and they find themselves blushing because of it. Sans resists the urge to chuckle.

"oops, did i? guess i really _am_ light on my feet."

The mood takes another few beats to settle, then shifts toward tense again. Sans' sudden appearance wasn't that surprising, considering their discussion in Waterfall. Yet, after reading those notes, Frisk had kind of hoped he wouldn't come at all.

When the silence stretches too long, one of them finally speaks again.

"i wasn't entirely kidding earlier. i do want to know your thoughts."

Despite his expression, Frisk recognizes they're being asked a serious question.

They fold their arms in a sort of protective manner and avert their gaze to the floor. They refuse to shiver at the thoughts swimming in their head.

"There's nothing to think about."

A lie–whether it's Sans' thoughts on how time travel works, or the remark they refuse to acknowledge reading, or their surroundings, or _other things_ , there are a lot of questions in the air.

Sans notes their stubborness and takes another moment before responding with a sigh. Then he stops leaning to the wall, getting into a slightly more collected stance. The human still tries to keep their eyes down, even if they notice the other moving from their peripheral vision.

"avoiding questions won't make the issue go away, ya know."

The tiniest flinch can be detected on the human's shoulders. Their expression scrunches up more than it already had. Those words, without a doubt, had some sort of impact.

"not that it's my issue, is it? so i'll leave it alone for now."

The promise does little to ease the mood, but eventually the human unfolds and carefully looks back up at Sans. They open their mouth as if to say something, then withdraw it before one syllable can get out. They bite their lower lip and reconsider quietly in the dim of the room.

"Okay."

Frisk's voice is small, smaller than Sans is used to. It bothers him, but he won't say anything about it.

"i'm sure there are other things ya wanna ask, kid. and i promised, so ask away."

There isn't any reason not to believe him. Frisk gazes at the skeleton's relaxed expression for a little bit. Soon they somewhat forcefully shake out of their timid state to give another curious look around the room.

Desperate to occupy their mind with something, they latch onto the most obvious thing in the room once more. Chara's presence becomes more prominent again.

"What do those machines do?"

Sans nonchalantly gazes in the same direction as the human does.

"oh. these things follow changes in the timespace continuum."

Frisk's eyes widen and they allow their gaze to lock onto Sans'. Their face is painted with surprise.

"What? Really?"

They whip their head back toward the machines, most of their worry succesfully pushed back by the revelation. Sans is really showing them how he knows? They feel excitement building in the pit of their stomach.

"This is what you keep an eye on me with?"

He shrugs and takes a step toward the machines, then slides his left hand out of his pocket to pat one of the the metal shells. The act makes a muffled, vibrating sound.

"yeah. they send readings to my laptop and i check on them when i get a chance."

Frisk blinks and almost gets the urge to touch the machines, but decides against it. They don't want to break anything.

At least they think they don't. Chara, instead, offers a different idea.

 _If we destroy all of this, Sans can't stand in our way anymore._

Frisk flinches and takes a step back. They wouldn't do such a thing! Besides, they're quite the small child and not all that strong. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't cause much destruction at all.

Not to inanimate objects, at least.

But another question is soon raised by the machines. Sans either wasn't bothered by Frisk's momentary jumpiness or didn't pay attention to it. (Knowing him, it's probably the first.) Either way, they're happy he doesn't bring it up and just ask their next question calmly.

"But... How can you keep all these notes? And these machines? When I go back in time, wouldn't everything here be set back too?"

Sans' expression seems to light up subtly. He turns to Frisk fully, hand comfortably slipped back into his pocket.

"i was waiting for you to ask that. the answer's... well, try to use your phone here."

The way he says the first part is almost sheepish, like he does really want to explain things to Frisk despite having been so against it before. They do as asked, fishing their cell from their pocket and turning to gaze at its small screen.

It only takes a moment for them to realize what's wrong.

"Oh, I have no signal. What...does that mean?"

Obviously, they know what it means. They aren't connected to the network that allows them to make calls. The question really is what the implications of that are. At least Sans figures it's what they're asking, and answers accordingly.

"this room right here, as well as my workshop–they're, uh, not exactly in the same dimension as the rest of the underground. so there's no way you'd have a signal in here."

"...Oh."

The human blinks, looks up at Sans, then back at their phone again. They take a moment to process it.

"Oh, I think if I understand this right, then, yeah, I get it. They're, um... Like... Outside the resets then? Because they're not technically where I reset. That would make sense. I think?"

Frisk takes their time rambling about their thoughts, since dimensions are a concept they've only vaguely learned about in the past. But it's not something they're going to think too deeply about, as there's no need for them to wrap their head around _everything_.

"that's right. time in this place works more or less in the usual manner."

Sans nods in response and takes a vacant look around the room. He's partially in thought. Somehow, Frisk doesn't expect him to talk so soon again. Nor to change the subject.

"i know telling you all of this is something i can't take back, so... i really do hope you'll find it in yourself to do the right thing."

When Frisk faces him again, he's looking back at them. They don't realize their expression turns a little sad, his mistrust hurting them slightly. They know it's there for a reason, though, so they can't argue it.

They give it a moment before speaking up again.

"I-I know I said there's nothing to think about, but... I do have a lot more questions, if you don't mind..."

It's the human's turn to be sheepish. They show an awkward smile and turn to their shoes instead, drawing patterns on the floor with one of them. They put their phone in their pocket now that they don't especially need it anymore.

"wouldn't expect anything less."

Sans sighs yet again at the end of his sentence, shoulders slumping in amused exasperation. The conversation feels like it's bouncing around awkwardly. He averts his gaze from the human as well, a mix of feelings rising in his non-existent throat. He briefly reminds himself he's given up. No more secrets, not for this kid. He might as well spill everything.

He figuratively swallows down whatever he's feeling and closes his eyes for a short moment.

"i can show you another thing if you come to snowdin later. how's about it?"

He raises his head, already winking as he meets Frisk's gaze again. They pause, eyes widening.

"Ah... My questions, though?"

Clearly, they're worried Sans is going to leave them hanging. He quickly realizes he should've specified.

"i promised i'd answer them, didn't i? don't sweat it."

Their smile turns a little more relaxed and they nod.

"I'll meet you in Snowdin, then. I still need to finish up here."

"yeah."

The skeleton easily agrees with the sentiment and takes a step to the side, clearly signaling to Frisk with his eyes that they should head for the door. They do so immediately, guessing Sans wants to make sure they don't mess with anything.

As soon as they're through the door, they turn around to meet Sans again. He's still standing on the other side, showing no intent of following them out. Not surprising, since he probably has a "shortcut" prepared. Sans is becoming more predictable these days.

"see you around, kiddo."

With that goodbye, the door closes. And as soon as it does, it's gone. Frisk blinks several times. It's as if the wall has swallowed it. There's no evidence of its past existence at all.

 _How he does_ that _should have been our first question!_

Frisk disappointedly agrees as they're left alone, nearly having forgotten how creepy True Lab is all by oneself.

* * *

 _[A/N] To rimera: Sorry to keep you on the edge for a full week! I was super distracted from the fic, so I only wrote a few sentences a day until I actually put time aside for it. 10/10. Also, I am a tease._


	20. Chapter 20

A sharp contrast to the shadowy nature of True Lab and the sometimes pressuring atmosphere of Hotland, Snowdin is feeling as cheery as ever. The human's feet sink into the snow as they make their way through.

They move on the often stomped paths that are much flatter and easier to stride, the usual route they take through this area. Following the main road, Frisk reaches the house they've promised to visit and knocks on the door without much hesitation.

There's no answer at first, so they go ahead and try the handle. Only when they have the door half open do they hear someone come toward the door, the tall form of Papyrus appearing in front of them.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were home," they speak, then recognize that what they said now actually sounds worse.

"WORRY NOT, HUMAN! I AM NO LONGER TAKEN ABACK BY YOUR CREEPY BEHAVIOURS," the skeleton affirms with an easy wave of his hand and tugs on his rugged scarf to adjust it slightly.

As the human meets their friend's gaze, a small blush rises to their cheeks due to his comment.

"Is Sans around?"

"MY BROTHER AGAIN?" Papyrus frowns and places his hands on his hips, unhappy about something. "YOU KNOW, IT'S A WASTED EFFORT TO TRY AND FOLLOW HIM AROUND! HE'S ALWAYS UP AHEAD ON YOUR PATH WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT, AND ONLY THEN."

He pauses, as if to size up the human – or that's how it feels, anyway. It's weird to receive such a calculating look from Papyrus.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH HIM, ANYWAY?"

There's no follow up; No "oh, you must be planning a surprise for me!" or a "I hope he isn't teaching you any of his bad habits," or anything else Papyrus would normally follow that question up with. No banter and no tireless optimism, just a plainly laid out question.

Frisk knits their brows, at a pause.

What should they even say here? A complete lie? A half-truth about having some vague plans with him, or having forgotten something in his possession? The truth doesn't even sound like an option, since Sans was _very_ clear about how he wants the human to act.

Since they don't want to stretch the silence any longer, a still silence that they knew will turn awkward very soon, they stumble over a dumb response.

"Oh, I just... I was just wondering," they shrug, keeping eye-contact even if their chin lowers slightly.

"WELL, YOU MAY STOP WONDERING! EVEN THOUGH I JUST SAID HE'S ALWAYS UP AHEAD, TODAY HE'S NOT UP AHEAD AT ALL! ACTUALLY, HE SAID HE COULD BE FOUND AT HIS SENTRY STATION..."

Papyrus lets out an exasperated sigh, the action as exaggerated as his usual expressions.

"THE ONE TIME HE _DOESN'T_ ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO HIS JOB, HE'S AT HIS POST. SOMETIMES I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HIM!"

Upon getting their answer, the human smiles and nods to Papyrus, some tension that they didn't know they were holding getting released from their shoulders.

"Thanks."

As they're about to turn and head off, another comment from the younger skeleton brother gains their attention.

"HUMAN, I KEEP WONDERING ABOUT SOMETHING! YOU KNOW, BEING A HANDSOME SKELETON MONSTER AND ALL, THE COLD DOESN'T REALLY GET TO ME. BUT YOU, IN NOTHING BUT THAT SWEATER, SHOULD BE FREEZING! SNOWDIN IS NO PLACE TO STAY FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME IF YOU AREN'T PREPARED!"

They spin back to him, blinking several times.

"Well, uh, this is a thick sweater. But I guess I get a little cold sometimes," they allow, shrugging as they do. No one's really pointed out they're a little underdressed before this.

"AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT SINCE YOU AGREE... MAYBE YOU SHOULD STAY IN WATERFALL OR HOTLAND INSTEAD. NOT BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE YOU LIVING HERE! BECAUSE I DO–IT'S HARD TO FIND PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIKE MY COOKING! I JUST WORRY FOR YOUR HEALTH, HUMAN!"

They frown deeply now, shoulders tensing all over again. What?

"Or... I could just get a warm coat?" they try, suspicious over the strange statement. Papyrus wanting them to move is coming out of the blue. The fact that he didn't even suggest just getting some warm clothes is putting the human on edge.

Papyrus stares for a second or so, before responding in an even louder voice:

"RIGHT! OR THAT! WARMER CLOTHING, OF COURSE! WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA!"

Upon shouting that, arms flying up in a seemingly excited gesture, Papyrus spins on his heels and heads upstairs.

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS ON IT, LITTLE HUMAN! I SHALL CREATE YOU SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING AS A TOKEN OF OUR FRIENDSHIP!"

He's already halfway up the stairs when the human gets a word in, still completely taken aback.

"Oh no, Papyrus, you don't have to do that!" they assure immediately, worried they're bringing him too much trouble.

"IT'S ALRIGHT! I HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO NOW THAT WE'VE DECIDED NOT TO CAPTURE YOU, ANYWAY... BESIDES MY TRAINING AND COOKING LESSONS, OF COURSE!" he responds once he's right outside his room, then tilts his head as he opens the door. "YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD AND LOOK FOR SANS IF YOU WANT TO CATCH HIM! I IMAGINE HE WON'T BE WHERE HE IS NOW FOR VERY LONG!"

They still hover in the doorframe, though they've opened the door all the way and let go of the handle. Now they reach for it again, trying to smile at Papyrus despite their ongoing confusion.

"Okay, well... Thank you again, Papyrus. See you later."

"YOU TOO, HUMAN! DON'T STAY OUT TOO LONG! I'VE HEARD HUMANS CATCH 'THE COLD' EASILY... FUNNY, I DIDN'T KNOW IT NEEDED TO BE CAUGHT BEFORE LEARNING THAT! OR MAYBE I LEARNT THE SAYING WRONG AND THE COLD CATCHES YOU INSTEAD?"

Papyrus ponders on it for a moment before adding:

"MY POINT IS, DON'T LET IT CATCH YOU! IT DOESN'T SOUND VERY PLEASANT!"

Frisk chuckles, then waves before exiting the house completely, the door pulled closed after them.

After they've gone, Papyrus hovers by the door of his room like the human had at the other one moments before. His thoughts haven't been given any rest today.

What is Sans talking about with the human? Why are they doing it privately?

His gaze lowers, the worst possibility rising up into his 'throat' again. _Not that_ , he thinks, _anything but that_.

After another while of wallowing in that anxious thought, he breathes out and calms himself in that one action. No, it's not likely they're talking about that. He's reaching.

Reassured, for now, he turns to enter his room.

.

The way to Sans' sentry station is much longer than the human remembers. By the time it comes into their view, they sigh out of relief, bursting into a light jog to close the rest of the distance quickly. The snow crunches happily below their boot-covered feet.

As their angle on the wooden table with a snowy rooftop changes, Sans shows in their field of vision. He's tilting his chair back with his foot propped on the edge of the table, an open magazine in one hand and a bottle of ketchup in the other.

On the table, there's another bottle – this one mustard – and a half-eaten plate of what looks like nuggets of some kind. The human slows down as they reach the station, eyes roaming over the scene. Their breath is slightly heavier from the exercise, forming puffy clouds of vapor in the air.

"you made it, kid. took ya a while. i got bored of waitin'," he eventually grins, lowering the magazine and folding it in half with his finger still marking the page.

As Frisk looks at the magazine again, they realize it _is_ a car magazine, like someone at Grillby's had told them once (or twice). It's clearly from the human world, too.

"Not all of us can just teleport," the human points out in mock-defiance. Sans shrugs at that as he tosses the magazine into a compartment under the tabletop.

"maybe you could learn," he simply states, now lowering his chair to the ground and pulling his foot off the table while he does. "it's not that difficult once you get used to it."

Frisk instinctually adjusts their stance to a wary one, unused to this kind of open attitude. They don't want to push their luck by commenting on it, though.

"I could learn if you'd teach me," they tried instead, smirking. Sans shakes his head.

"nah, that's too much work. but i can comply enough to show you," he states, then gestures for Frisk to come over with a flick of his skull. They try their best to not let the enthusiasm show on their face as they make their way around the table.

"fair warning. this won't be anything like walking you through walls or doorways," he says calmly once Frisk is standing by his chair. They blink at him, unsure what he means. That is, until the world around them feels like its being swallowed and shifted.

Sans warned them, sure, but there had been no further comment on what he would do and when. So when everything goes dark aside from the human, Sans and his sentry station... All sound disappears as well as all smell, taste and sensation... They almost go into a panic.

Luckily, that moment of complete blackness stops as quickly as it had started, and a warmth floods their skin and the smell and taste of ash and heat fills their senses. The sounds of bubbling, flowing and crackling lava can be heard behind them. They're aware of all of that much more than usual for the following seconds.

Frisk stumbles back, unaware they were out of breath until they get to inhale it in deep gulps again.

"oops, did i do it too fast?" Sans asks, voice more amused than concerned. After catching their breath, the human stands shakily and frowns at him.

"Nevermind, I don't think I want to learn _that_..." they whine indignantly. "It was scary!"

"hey, suit yourself. it's an easy way to get around. i never really have to walk if i don't want to," Sans supplies, still unaffected by all of that, hands sliding casually into his coat pockets.

"What was that, anyway?" they ask, glancing around them to see none of Sans' usual hot dog patrons around, despite being at his 'stand' in Hotland. "What was that weird place?"

"uhh, well..." Sans blinks, as if he would need to, averting his gaze to try and put together a sufficient explanation. "i did explain to you that that room my equipment is in is in another dimension, right? well, it's sorta-kinda the same thing here. except not."

"That... That explained nothing," the human replies, deadpan. They're as confused as they were a moment ago. Sans sighs.

"what i did just now is shifting between dimensions. but i can only do that because those dimensions have been layered in a convenient way," he explains again, this time pulling his left hand out to make vague gestures in the air. Now the human looks less puzzled.

"So it's kind of, like... You're finding gaps in reality," they soon reply, managing to put it into words that suits their mental image. Sans' expression seems to brighten even if there's very little change in it. Maybe it's the slight raise of his chin.

"exactly. hey, you're smarter than you look, kiddo."

They don't know whether to feel praised or insulted, so they ignore the comment altogether.

"But the sentry station..." they start, pointing at the structure. Sans' eyes follow the motion. "I know it's also in Waterfall and Snowdin. I've went back and checked... But it _is_ the exact same station, right? So..."

"...so, it's like that room, yeah. i've placed it between dimensions. that's why it's a great gateway, by the way," he starts, then shifts his position again, now folding his arms on the table. "didnt know ya were so into all this stuff."

The human circles back to the other side of the station to properly face him.

"To be honest, I don't think I'd be into the details. But humans can't teleport, you know? So it's really cool to me," they explain, almost bashful by the end. "And I haven't seen any other monsters doing that either. So that makes this even more special."

There's a moment of silence and Sans seems lost in thought for the second time. Then, he waves his hand casually.

" _cool_ comes in handy when you live in a place half-filled with lava," he soon replies, then a beat later he adds: "but are you sure you dont know any other monster who can do something similar?"

The question, like many of Sans' questions lately, gives the human pause.


	21. Chapter 21

"By that you mean..." the human starts, pointedly not looking at Sans as they think on their response, "You must mean Papyrus, right?"

Sans closes his eye sockets for a moment, exhaling visibly before his shoulders relax.

"yeah. i knew you'd figure it out on your own eventually, so i'll make this very clear–" he begins, but Frisk's disposition is making him cut himself off. They are smiling, but there's some timidness in the way they stand, their short body hunching over.

Sans rethinks his phrasing in a quiet second or so.

"heh. well, seems like you already get the jist of it. don' even think about goin' to bombard him with questions. if i find out you've been attempting it, well..."

The way Sans straightens up just a bit, tensing as he meets the human's eyes, they can already guess the response.

"...I'm gonna have a bad time?"

 _Bring it on, comedian._

Frisk softly shakes their head, nose scrunching up.

"not a _good_ time, for sure," he confirms quickly after, winking ever so casually despite the mild threat. "if you have more of yer questions later, you bring 'em straight to me and only me. speakin' of which, i was gonna show you another thing as well."

"Are you going to tell me about Gah–" Frisk pauses when Sans gives them another one of his unsettling stares, "...about, _that guy_?"

"settle down. im gettin' to it. 'sides, you're really gonna try and deny me the fun of taking ya on tour? if i'm gonna explain, might as well do it in a way that pleases us both," he replies easily and leans back in his chair, then stands up and pockets his hands.

"Figures you would make me walk all that way for nothing..." Frisk mutters in passing.

"here, let's take a shortcut back to the house."

Now the human takes a wary step back.

"Not like before, right?"

Sans chuckles.

"i'll make it easier on ya this time," he promises, nudging his head toward the end of the platform. Frisk sighs and walks into that direction, the skeleton quickly catching up with them.

As they approach the connection between two platforms, there _is_ a flash of black, but it's nothing like before. It's more like the way the human is used to being transported.

Following the short darkness only in front of them, they see the view of the skeleton brothers' living room opening up in front of their eyes. They walk forward with Sans at their heel, and when they're inside and turn around to face him, it's like they never even were in Hotland. It's just the house all around them.

Sans' smile is relaxed.

It doesn't last very long. He hesitates with his steps as he approaches the kitchen, and his gaze darts to the floor. He pauses, takes a breath and glances at the upper level of the house.

" _paps_?" he calls upstairs, then waits a beat. When there's no response, he shrugs and enters the kitchen. "alright, kiddo. before i explain to you about everything else, i'm going to show you exactly what your little time-bending powers do. sound like a plan?"

As he speaks, he reaches up to one of the cabinets and finds himself a pen and a couple sheets of clear paper.

"You will?" the human asks, pleasantly surprised as their brows shoot up.

"yup."

Sans takes his place by the table at the side of the living room, putting the sheets down and twirling the pen once in his left hand. Soon he gets it to settle right between his bony fingers.

He turns to give a side-glance to the human and nudges his head in an inviting gesture. They walk over to the table, then look down at what Sans is supposedly about to draw or write for them.

"okay, so..." he breathes, then goes ahead and draws a long, straight line across the paper, leaving a bit of space at the top and bottom, "this is the timeline. easy to see since it's literally a line, right? anyway," he makes a little mark near the top of the line, then taps at it with the tip of his pen, "this is where you drop down into the underground."

"Uh huh," Frisk nods their understanding, unsure where this is going. They wonder what's about to happen to that line as Sans keeps drawing, so they don't ask any questions that might interrupt the explanation.

Sans gives them a brief glance before he continues, making sure he's being as clear as possible. He doesn't want to have to explain it a second time.

"so yeah, normally you would just keep followin' this line, right?" he says, dragging the tip of his pen along the visualized timestream. "there would be no weird marks across the way, no 'checkpoints' you can return to. however, with the way things are now, the timeline looks more like this."

As he says that, he draws more dots at certain intervals all over the line.

"these are the points in time you can loop back to. now, i dunno where all of them are _exactly_ , but ive figured a few out when you go back a lot in the same spot."

The human blinks twice.

"'Loop' back to? I don't get it. It's a Reset, not a loop?" they frown at the skeleton, who lowers his gaze and shakes his head.

"nah, kid. that's not how it works. after all... you did still experience all that stuff, and you recall experiencing it too, doncha?"

"Wha–W-well, but that's..."

They're at a loss, blinking rapidly now. Their throat threatens to close up.

"uh, don't take this literally, but the universe recalls all of that too," Sans then explains, his voice just a tad quieter as he goes to drag the tip of his pen over a part of the line once more, "when ya go back here, youre not erasing the time you spent there. you're just going back to this point in time, kind of like through a modified wormhole..."

He draws a loop that starts and ends at one of the Reset points, then faces the human again.

"i considered that these little points here might be wormholes affected by your determination somehow, but that theory has some problems. so i've moved onto other guesses, too," he says briefly, shrugging.

The human still seems frozen in their spot, trying to get their thoughts in order. The Resets... They're not actual, 'True' Resets? They know that Flowey always remembered before this, and sometimes the monsters would say things that made them think...

They blink again, many times, trying to get rid of the moisture in their eyes. _No wonder then_ , they think, biting the inside of their cheek.

"kid, you alright there?" Sans asks, almost looking like he's furrowing his brows. Frisk sniffs as they meet his gaze, smiling wide.

"I'm fine," they try to say as cheerily as they can manage, and to their relief, Sans doesn't try to dispute that.

Since there's now a silent moment, the human decides to take a breath and ask something before the skeleton continues his explanation. If he's going to.

"So, uhm, Sans...? You were a scientist in the past, or are even now, I guess. That much is pretty friggin' obvious," they chuckle awkwardly, "But um, what kind of scientist exactly? I don't know too much about this stuff."

Sans shuffles, and for a moment they think he's not going to answer.

"astrophysicist," he eventually fills in, sounding almost wistful in just one word. The human raises a brow.

"Astrophysicist? Like the people who study space?"

That's as far as their knowledge on the topic goes, so it's obvious they'd be confused. It would be kind of hard to study space when you live underground. Sans shrugs.

"uh huh. but that's not all there is to it. astrophysics focuses on space, but more than that to how certain things _work_ in space. i already mentioned wormholes as an example. black holes are also something astrophysics is trying to explain..." he pauses here, "and, another area of it is also the study of time and the possibility of time travel."

Their eyes widen.

"Oh." Well, that suddenly explains _a lot_.

Sans sighs and rests the elbow of his free arm on the table, then leans his head to his palm. Standing straight has become too much effort.

"also a big part of why getting to the surface was important to me, y'know. before all this," he gestures to the timeline-drawing on the paper with his pen, "started to happen. might as well admit that now."

His voice turns into something more like a mutter by the end.

Frisk frowns, not exactly wanting to look at his face right now. Just another future they're taking away from one of their monster friends. Another wasted dream. The urge to suddenly Reset bubbles in their stomach–the urge to erase this moment. They try not to think about it.

Sans shifts slightly and another scratch of the pen is heard. Only then does the human return their gaze to the paper.

"y'know, since you keep loopin' back an' not actually 'resetting', like ya thought before, i'm sure i... the me that remembers you killin' everyone, found it important to try 'n stop you."

They frown as they chance a look at him. Sans is looking back at them, seeming serious despite still having the little beads of light visible in his eye sockets.

"You saw Chara, even if you didn't know who they were at that time, right? And you knew who would be in control of the loops from then on, if they got a complete hold on me," Frisk speaks softly, feeling a bit unsteady on their feet.

"that's what i think happened," Sans hums, "but also... that wouldn't've been my first time encountering someone with stats as high as that. And... It didn't end well then, either."

His voice goes so dark, Frisk has to look up at him again. And just like they thought, now those little white lights are gone.

They take a guess on who that person may be, but they're not certain. They don't want to ask when Sans is looking so scary. They swallow and hastily think of another thing to distract him with.

"Err, this might sound a little stupid. But. Are you sure I keep going in loops all the time? Because, well, when I do a really big loop after the barrier has been brok–" they pause when Sans' empty gaze meets them, and they flinch, but don't stop talking entirely.

"W-when the barrier has been broken and Chara kind of urges me to go back. After that, everyone has clearly forgotten completely. And... Well, some things might happen a little differently without my interference at all."

Sans closes his eyes, seeming to collect himself. He relaxes a moment later, his normal look returning.

"that doesn't mean yer not still loopin'. it just means there's some other things at play. 'sides, spacetime is really wonky nowadays," Sans says, his voice a little strained in the beginning since he's still coming down from that moment of tenseness just now.

"and i assume those changes aren't all that big, otherwise ya woulda said something sooner. so it's either some anomaly or shift in the dimensions, or jus' a normal butterfly effect. you can travel back in time, i wouldn't think you'd be so surprised by things not comin' out normal after you do it."

Frisk shows a sheepish expression.

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't be."

They're just relieved they managed to bring him back to a more easy mood.

Sans takes a moment to twirl the pen in his fingers again, then stands up straight, no longer leaning to the table.

"so to recount. now ya kinda know how i move between space..." Upon the look the human gives him, he can only bring himself to smirk. "hey, i did say 'kinda.' anyway, ya know how that works. ya know how i follow your movements in the timelines, and ya know yer loopin'. the only thing for me to explain is how all'a this is even possible, so..."

When Sans is about to shift their surroundings once more, he startles by footsteps just above. The footsteps are followed by a loud but hesitant voice.

"SANS?"

 _don't tell me he heard._

"SANS, PLEASE DON'T."

 _he heard._

* * *

 _[A/N] Hope you enjoyed my nerd-out.  
_


	22. Chapter 22

Papyrus is in his room, wearing headphones and listening to a spooky mix someone online has made.

There is no other message in the post the link is on and even the link itself is shrunken down into the smallest size possible. Despite this, the skeleton has clicked on it–and, well, even if he's unsettled by the sound, he thinks it rude to interrupt someone's song without hearing it in its entirety.

The music-sharing site isn't one he frequents, but since he doesn't have his brother's chatter to occupy his 'ears' with, he's decided to visit it for a change. And, while he listens to the song, he goes through a sheet of thick woolen fabric with a tape measure.

Papyrus is by no means a master-sower, but he has dabbled in it with Sans on the occasion; Mostly when they attend parties that require costumes, or when an older piece of clothing has worn and torn in places. Nevertheless, the skeleton isn't one to back down from a challenge, and making a coat for the human is an entertaining one.

He's making pure guesses on the measurements, now picking up the pair of scissors meant specifically for fabric-cutting, confident in the shapes he's drawn out. He barely grazes the cloth with the sharp edges when the song in his headphones ends, and he pauses.

There's definitely a noise coming from... Downstairs, probably? He pulls back the scissors and puts down his work, then takes off his headphones and goes toward his door. _Sans must be back home_ , he thinks, and figures he should go greet his older brother.

His hand halts on its way to the door handle when he thinks he makes out a sentence from the unclear mumbles.

"... _spacetime is really wonky nowadays_..."

That's without a doubt Sans' deep voice, saying those words. Papyrus feels like something in his chest clenches. Who is Sans talking to? And why is he talking about 'spacetime'?

Papyrus steadies his hand against the plain wood, then hesitantly slides it downward. He turns the handle. He _very quietly_ cracks open the door, just enough to hear better.

". _..you can travel back in time, i wouldn't think you'd be so surprised by things not comin' out normal after you do it._ "

" _Yeah, I guess I shouldn't be_."

It's the voice of the human that answers. Papyrus pushes the door open all the way, still not making any noise, even if his silence is unintentional this time.

He holds his breath.

" _so to recount. now ya kinda know how i move between space... hey, i did say 'kinda.' anyway, ya know how that works. ya know how i follow your movements in the timelines, and ya know yer loopin'._ "

 _What?_

" _the only thing for me to explain is how all'a this is even possible, so_..."

Papyrus' teeth clench.

He walks down to the edge of the second floor balcony.

"SANS?"

He sees his brother's back by the table in their living room. He's entirely stopped moving. The younger brother barely registers the human's attention flicking up to him.

"SANS, PLEASE DON'T."

His voice is much more subdued than usual, even if still much louder than the two other people downstairs were at any point. He's standing about as still as Sans is, his troubled gaze locked onto the back of his sibling's skull.

As far as Papyrus knows, Sans has never disclosed any of what he just said to anyone else. And some of what's been said is even new to Papyrus, not that he's fully grasping the meaning of it yet. And yet he's telling near-personal information to someone they brothers have only recently met... Even if they seem like a very pleasant person...

 _What is going on?_

Before Papyrus knows it and much sooner than expected, Sans turns, wearing such an easy grin it almost makes Papyrus angry right off the bat. He doesn't even notice he's flinched and turned his hands into fists at his sides.

"oh, sorry bro, didn't know ya were home. i was telling the kid about a scifi movie i saw. wanna join in?"

He's winking and shrugging, all casual tones and relaxed postures.

Normally, Papyrus wouldn't have seen through the facade. But he knows Sans' "science-talk" voice, the one he hasn't used in a long while. And that was _it_ , just now. Not one for just chatting about a movie.

He forces himself to relax.

"SANS, WE NEED TO TALK! RIGHT NOW."

The older brother shuffles, eyes darting awkwardly to the side, then to the human. Papyrus finally addresses them with a neutral look. The kid looks beyond shaken, eyes wide and blinking rapidly. They're stuck, trying to decide on the right course of action and drawing a very visible blank.

"SORRY, HUMAN! I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE FOR NOW! BUT DO NOT WORRY, YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!" Papyrus speaks to them, finding his smile enough to make sure the child is reassured. "WE'LL HAVE TO 'HANG OUT' AGAIN ANOTHER TIME!"

They look between the brothers, brows furrowed in concern, then nod. They leave the house wordlessly, the door also barely making a sound upon their exit.

A tense silence takes over and Papyrus drags his gaze back to Sans. The latter in turn refuses to look up now.

.

Outside the skeletons' house, Frisk stands in the snow, heart pounding in their chest. They stare down at the faint white glow, black boots entirely still against it.

 _Isn't this exciting?_ Chara's voice mewls through their thoughts, and they close their eyes, pretending the other kid is not there. They aren't very succesfull.

 _After they're done arguing, we should go back and see what else can happen~ The comedian won't mind if you explain to him Papyrus was actually home._

Chara's whispers aren't just whispers anymore. Their voice is ringing loud and clear in Frisks ears. They blink their eyes open and shake their head weakly.

But the thought of Resetting... It's tempting.

 _Wait, not yet! Let's wait it out first!_

And so they wait.

.

Sans is at a loss for words. He's withdrawn into his mind, going through all the possible reactions Papyrus might have. Papyrus wouldn't hate him over something like that–his brother is much too cool to hate even the worst of people. He's likely angry, or confused. _Both_.

When Sans finally looks up from the floor again, enough time has passed for the taller skeleton to come down the stairs and stand in front of him. When he dares to peek at his expression, he can see the expected confusion, _and_... Disappointment. That's definitely it.

Sans sighs deeply, feeling his shoulders sink. Disappointing Papyrus with his actions is nothing new to him. At least with this he can cope.

"look, i'm sorry i didn't tell ya–"

"SANS," Papyrus interrupts, "You were talking to the human about time travel."

It's a simple statement that holds a lot of meaning for them both. Sans takes his time before he nods.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE WITH THAT."

He doesn't know what to say at first. His hands sink deeper into his pockets, his shoulders hunching in a bashful show.

"...me too," he manages. It's the truth. Yet, he can feel Papyrus regarding him carefully.

"WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT STUFF TO THE HUMAN? I DON'T THINK I GET IT, SANS! WHAT'S GOING ON?"

Papyrus is trying to keep a pleading tone out of his voice, and the sound comes out strained. Guilt washes over the elder brother like a tidal wave, but he withstands it without flinching.

"i'm real sorry, y'know, i... didn't mean to bring up all the stuff we've been tryna... get past? it's just... maybe there's still a chance?"

The both of them feel so very out of their element, taking on these uncertain and wary attitudes around each other. Their eye-contact is searching, worried. This is a can of worms they haven't opened in a long time, and probably never intended to again. At least it has been put off "indefinitely" until now.

"Still a chance to do _what_...?" Papyrus asks, and his voice is so small... Still, it doesn't take long to regain its usual volume. "YOU'RE REALLY SMART, SANS. I KNOW THAT! AND I BELIEVE IN YOU! BUT... IN THIS PARTICULAR MATTER, WELL..."

Papyrus looks from side to side, not liking the fact he's lowered his expectations on the abilities of someone he loves this much. But, it's a _realistic_ lowering of expectations, he reminds himself sternly. Or maybe it's technically not even that! He's just worried Sans is clinging to a hope that will crumble and leave him in a worse state.

"MAYBE I DON'T... _ENTIRELY BELIEVE_... THAT YOU SHOULD PURSUE TO FIX EVERYTHING. AND THAT'S OKAY! NOBODY SHOULD TAKE A BURDEN OF THAT MAGNITUDE ON THEIR SHOULDERS! AND, WE HAVE IT REALLY GOOD WHERE WE ARE, DON'T WE? YOU'VE DONE WELL FOR ME! FOR US! _REALLY_!"

Papyrus is trying his best to sound encouraging, positive. He's smiling as well as he can, his arms as expressive as usual when shouting his praise. But his brother only looks at him like he's been slapped.

"pap, i appreciate all'a that, i really do."

Despite his words, Sans has averted his gaze. Guilt is eating him up from the inside and the younger skeleton feels mortified upon witnessing it. He _knows_ what he's witnessing, despite Sans' practised attempts at hiding it.

He'd thought Sans was doing better now: Laughing more, seeming more relaxed (even _too_ relaxed a lot of the time, honestly), making friends and having stable income (somehow?).

But now Papyrus is suddenly afraid it has all just been for show.

He takes a step forward and kneels down to be at eye-level with Sans, his gloved palms settling on the latter's shoulders. He takes a deep breath to steady himself before he speaks again.

"WHAT WERE YOU INTENDING ON TELLING THE HUMAN JUST NOW?"

Sans faces him slowly. He shrugs.

"i just figured... uh..."

He's at a loss. Sans can clearly see Papyrus is concerned over him. He remembers how he let his worried disposition slip in the past and how it affected the younger of the two. He only wants to see Papyrus smiling. Yet, he doesn't want to lie to his face.

"i want their help."

In the end, saying the truth out loud is a lot easier than he expects. He surprises himself and stares at his brother.

The younger skeleton's expression tenses, considering as he studies Sans' face in turn. There's a patient look in his eyes, as there usually is when he waits for Papyrus to decide on something.

Since he's given the time, he takes it. A long moment passes as he mulls over his thoughts.

The _something that happened_ is something that happened to them both. Sans should have every right to tell a stranger his version of the events that transpired. But yet, Papyrus still doesn't want him to. He wants to forget. He wants to _pretend_. If Sans goes announcing it so freely, the illusion will be broken.

He acknowledges this is a selfish way of viewing it, but he also remembers how obsessed over this particular thing Sans used to be in the beginning. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, Papyrus could see his composure slipping. So, he started to make sure to be the positive one out of the two skeletons, even if it was a trait he possessed already. Nowadays it was only amplified tenfold.

Despite his positivity, Papyrus couldn't bring himself to be positive about seeing Sans go down that road again.

"I..." he begins, then clears his voice, "I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE YOU WENT TO SPEAK TO THE HUMAN. HOW LONG HAVE YOU EVEN BEEN CHASING THIS THING AGAIN? YOU NEVER TELL ANYONE ANYTHING, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE SPILLING YOUR SOUL'S CONTENTS TO SOMEONE WHO WAS A STRANGER LIKE A WEEK AGO!"

Sans looks down, but his expression doesn't change.

"i didn't want you to worry," he soon says, his smile a little softer at the edges than usual.

"SANS," Papyrus sighs, exasperated, "I'M NOT A CHILD ANYMORE! BESIDES, DON'T YOU THINK I DESERVE TO KNOW?"

Sans meets his gaze at that, some of the guilt finally slipping onto his features. _Of course_ Papyrus deserves to know.

He just thought it wouldn't matter.

"IT'S YOUR STORY MORE THAN IT IS MINE, I SUPPOSE..." Papyrus finally concedes, then pulls his hands away from Sans' shoulders and stands. "AND IF YOU REALLY, HONESTLY THINK IT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THEN TELL THE HUMAN WHAT YOU WILL. EVEN IF I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA."

The short skeleton frowns, unsure of himself still.

"so... if i choose to tell them about what happened with gaster?" he asks hesitantly.

"JUST... MAKE IT A 'HUMAN'-FRIENDLY VERSION, MAYBE?" the other skeleton allows, though he still seems a little disconcerted. He's also raised one hand close to his chest, as if to instinctively protect himself from the memories.

While it makes neither of them happy, that's about the most of a blessing Sans is going to get for now.

.

When Sans opens the door, he sees the human standing in the snow, still and with their back to him. Though the image makes him a little uncomfortable for whatever reason, he speaks up in his usual manner anyway.

"oh, ya decided to wait right here. that's convenient, at least," he winks, waiting for Frisk to react. When they don't, he feels his initial worry grow. "what now? got _cold feet_?"

Then, the kid flinches and turns around to face him. They exhale and shake their head. Their shoulders seem a little more relaxed.

"Ah, sorry, what? I was spacing out," they admit. "Did... Is Papyrus okay?"

Sans gives it some thought. He decides to change the topic.

"anyway, i have something more to show you."

He closes the door after himself and starts to walk around the house. The human notes the lack of response, but follows regardless.

* * *

 _[A/N] Thank you for your reviews,_ _KimranReech! There will definitely be more about Frisk. Hope the answers will satisfy you._


	23. Chapter 23

The human isn't all that surprised when Sans leads them through the door at the back of his house. They enter a few steps behind him, then listen as the plate slides back into place behind them. A soft click sounds as it automatically locks.

Sans' back is turned to Frisk as they fumble with their sleeve, his eyes fixed on the other end of the room. The machine covered by a large sheet sits there quietly, uncaring of his gaze upon it.

Irritation moves his ribcage shallowly once or twice before he takes a deep breath and follows it with a sigh. He walks over to the machine and pulls down the sheet. Despite their curiosity, Frisk can barely bring themselves to pay attention to the unveiling.

The machine is worn, some parts clearly unattached and piled either on top or to the side of it. It's hollow in the middle with a number of buttons, switches and small monitors on the sides. It doesn't look like it was ever a finished product, rather more like the first prototype of whatever it once was.

The human looks to the side, soon forcing out some of the tension from their neck and shoulders and distracting themselves with conversation.

"So... Uh." Speaking is still awkward, their thoughts mostly lingering on Papyrus. "I was wondering... I was thinking, is this maybe a..."

They hesitate, as it starts to sound stupid out loud, no matter how unusual their own abilities are.

"Is this a time machine?" they finally manage to blurt, hands dropping from their awkward position to their sides instead. Sans finds himself wanting to smile.

Skeletal fingers drag down one of the panels with a bunch of red knobs on it, a seemingly random one a few shades lighter than the rest. He stops to fiddle with it absent-mindedly.

"that was the idea. it was still in testin' at the time, though."

He pulls his hand away from the machine and turns to face the kid.

"it's broken, though. beyond repair at this point. and if im honest, i dont entirely know how to even go about tryna fix it."

Frisk frowns at that, eyes shifting between the machine and Sans.

"Why do you need to fix it?" they ask, wanting to move the conversation along. They can take a few guesses, but it seems like Sans is taking this a different direction. Besides... "Does that have something to do with you wanting to go ' _home_ '?"

Sans blinks at that, then averts his gaze. His hands sink deep into the safety of his coat. He wonders about the conversation Frisk must've had with him, what he must've said.

Hesitantly, he nods. The memories are bubbling to the top of his skull.

"this timeline... it's completely shattered. did you know that?" he starts slowly, then faces the human once more. They shake their head, brows furrowed in concern. Their focus has been drawn back to Sans enough to forget about the tension between him and his brother.

"it started when gaster fell into the core... ah, that's not a good place to start."

Sans' eyes fall thoughtfully to the ground. He takes a step back and leans into the machine behind him. The kid toys with their sleeves again, trying to get rid of the nervous energy.

It takes a moment for the skeleton to figure out how he wants to start, but once he seems to have his thoughts somewhat in order, he takes another breath.

"alright. so. back when gaster was still the royal scientist, he hired a bunch of employees to help him out with his work. astrophysicists, chemists, nuclear physicists and whatnot. the point is, a buncha science folk. i'd pretty much only just gotten my phd when i joined the team... uh, anyway..."

"You worked with him? Really?" the human asks, eyes wide in surprise. Sans gives an easy wink.

"sure i did, kiddo. im sure ya heard by the way, but man, that guy was a genius. not only did he know everythin' there was to know about my field, but all the other ones i mentioned and more, too. what he didn't have a phd in he had read up on in his own time. what im sayin' is, he was obsessed, pretty much."

The human settles into a comfortable standing position, their fidgeting ceased once more. They have a feeling this'll take a while.

Sans doesn't take long to continue.

"the determination extractor that alphys used for her..." he pauses, deciding to not continue that sentence after all, "uh, the dt extractor you've seen in the underground lab. that was created by gaster, originally. i managed to save the blueprints from what remained of the old lab after everythin' went down. gave 'em to alphys as thanks for tryin' to fix this piece of junk."

He points to the time machine with his thumb and surprise flashes across the human's features again, but they don't make a comment.

"he also made this time machine– _well_ –he made the theory and the plans for it. left the actual buildin' and testing to his crew so he could move onto the next thing he was interested in. there was a lot of pressure on 'im to find a way through the barrier, and it showed eventually... but at the start he was just so interested in the science. i could respect that.

"he was looking into... well, im not sure how much it matters for this explanation, but he was lookin' into dark matter after he was finished with the time machine stuff. but, uhh..."

Sans trails off, discomfort rising in his disposition, eyelights dragging across the clean floor. He tracks one of the lines between the tiles, thoughts racing as he picks and chooses from whatever information he still possesses.

The human shifts their weight from one foot to the other and tilt their head slightly, trying to gain back his attention. They worry he's spacing out.

"Sans?"

He takes a moment to react, and the human's worry is confirmed and then erased when he relaxes into the eye-contact.

"u-um, right. gaster..."

Sans has started to sound uncertain.

"he was really praised for his intelligence, right? not only was asgore almost certain he'd find a way to break the barrier, but the other monsters were startin' to pressure him about it, too. and uh, though he was really tough, eventually... it started to really wear the guy out. he...

"he suggested somethin' to me, once. i didn't think on it that much at the time, because when i said i wasn't cool with the idea, he seemed to dismiss it. i shoulda known better, if i'm bein' honest. i was bein' a bonehead."

He knocks on his skull with his phalanges for emphasis.

Frisk swallows, unsure if they want to know. They ask anyway, throat tight as they speak.

"What did he suggest...?"

"he uh, he had a theory... that maybe if he–if someone were to..." His eyes fly up to the ceiling for a second or so, then land back on the human. "he had founded this system to determine a monster's strenght, both in magic and in physicality, an'... well, ya know because you use the system. hp. attack. defence. though those are things that have always existed, he was the one who learnt how to measure 'em reliably and the one to name 'em."

The human's stomach sinks. They can guess where he's going with this, from the discomfort in his posture alone. The lights in his eyes are a little dimmer than usual.

"he figured that if someone were to kill a lotta people... _monsters_ , not just whatever humans would drop down – to raise their lv, their other stats would rise too, and that would reward them with some unusual abilities. We already knew human souls an' absorbing 'em would make us powerful, but he figured out the tools to measure everythin' and put it into practise. so, anyway, when he spoke to me about that, i didn't think he'd actually end up doing it."

It becomes dead quiet after that. The unsettling silence lasts for many beats before the human dares to speak again.

"So–" their voice cracks, and they stop to clear their throat, "So, um. That's what you meant when you said you've fought someone with... Um. Maybe you should explain the rest...?"

They find it very hard to look in the short monster's direction, eyes darting around the small room. Sans releases a heavy sigh and takes his time.

"we had a department for raisin' the determination of monsters naturally. or for making our bodies more apt for the stuff. it was much like what alphys ended up doin', but we didn't just go injectin' monsters with it without thinking. she knows robotics inside an' out, but that kinda thing–i really shouldn't've given her those prints, i–"

Sans realizes he's started to ramble and the emotion flashes on his features. He shakes his head slightly to get himself back on track.

"...i was bein' selfish. anyway." His shoulders relax. "the monsters studied in that department. they were fallen down, like the ones alph tried to treat. so we weren't that surprised to find some of 'em dead every time we came back to that, and... well, you can see where this is goin'. gaster was dusting them when we weren't lookin', raising his stats in the process."

Frisk rubbed their arm nervously, the fabric of their sleeves picked through already.

"it turns out that... for a monster to gain so much lv, it has a strong effect on their psyche. we're not violent by nature, so we didn't have much data to go on about that sorta stuff at the time. long story short, over time, he became really unstable. crazy, even. an', he... uhh, in secret, he... started dustin' other monsters besides the ones in the lab. some of 'em _i_..."

Sans pauses, his voice having hitched unexpectedly. He feels a little embarrassed at that and doesn't meet the human's gaze, not that they're looking at him much. He takes a second to collect himself and moves his weight off the broken machine.

There seems to be some resolution in his tone, though he's quieter than before; He's trying to keep his voice steady:

"one night, pap came by in the lab."

The human looks at him, as Papyrus hasn't been mentioned in the story until now.

"'t was really late, pretty much only me an' the infamous doc were still around. my bro had come to get me since we were gonna go somewhere that night, i think it was like a theater performance or somethin'? i'd been distracted with work and kinda forgot.

"so, uh, as im about to leave, gaster gets really weird... moreso than usual. everyone could tell he'd been off lately. that's when he said that he'd finally taken the next step in his research. well, yeah, i pretty much made pap wait more because, heh, like i was gonna _not_ find out what he meant by that. the guy was studying dark matter at the time, after all. that's not everyday stuff to just figure somethin' out about it like that. papyrus looked pretty annoyed, but he's forgivin', ya'know?"

…

 _ENTRY NUMBER SEVENTEEN_

 _DARK DARKER YET DARKER_

 _THE DARKNESS KEEPS GROWING_

 _THE SHADOWS CUTTING DEEPER_

 _PHOTON READINGS NEGATIVE_

 _THIS NEXT EXPERIMENT_

 _SEEMS_

 _VERY_

 _VERY_

 _INTERESTING_

 _WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK?_

Sans remembers looking toward his brother, who showed such a nervous expression at the time. The doc had that effect on all people he met toward the end, so it's no surprise a high school aged monster would feel unsettled.

He had given his brother a reassuring look and then turned to give a non-committal shrug at Gaster. Despite his apparent nonchalance, Sans gladly took the chance to peek at his research.

" _T-this is... Wow,"_ he remembers himself stammering and closes his eye sockets. He sinks deeper into the memory.

" _You've figured out how to look at dark matter by... By changing the frequency of its material? Doc, that's–Holy crap!"_

" _SANS, please, can you not swear?"_

 _Papyrus gets rather ignored by his older brother, who's too excited to pay attention._

" _How did you–How is this even–Just,_ holy crap _! Not only does this give us a lense into freakin' dark matter as an actual, well..._ Matter _, but it also changes how we look at... Dimensions... And... Doc...?"_

Sans all but flinches out of the memory when he recalls where he is. His eyes were dark for a while and the human is looking especially wary.

When they see that he's back to himself, the human shifts into a little more secure state and makes new eye-contact with him. They're a little flustered as they think about the passing question in their head.

"Uuh... So... What _is_ dark matter?" they eventually manage, breaking their stare with Sans quickly as they do. To their surprise, the skeleton snorts in amusement, despite everything. They feel their face flush because of it, even if they weren't embarrassed about not understanding everything before.

"right, i almost forgot ya dont know anything about this stuff. simply put, it's the invisible stuff in space that's makin' up most of our universe. we honestly have little idea what it actually is. astrophysicists love theorizin' about it. gaster loved theorizin' about it. and he cracked the code to some stuff about it, but... to be honest with ya, my memories are really getting hazy on most parts. part of why i dont even remember how this thing is assembled under normal circumstances."

He glances to the machine behind him again, then walks up to the counter at the side of the room and hops on it, seated. Standing up for so long was getting too annoying.

"So how'd the timeline break apart?" the human asks helpfully, managing to get the story back on track once more.

"mmh. that night in the lab... gaster's intentions became really clear. he wanted to raise his stats so high he could break the barrier with whatever souls and monsters we had at the time. he was deranged. exhausted from all the pressures put on 'im by everyone."

Sans closes his eyes when he pulls the memory back to the tip of his metaphorical tongue.

"the reason he was able to start alterin' reality was because he had killed so many monsters. i realized it when he attacked me and i got a good look at his stats. i would probably be dead if paps hadn't intervened at that time... he..."

Sans opens his eyes, and the lights are gone.

"paps shoved him, and he... he stumbled, and he tripped, and he... he fell."

The silence is no less heavy for its short lenght.

"papyrus panicked. _i_ panicked. there was discharge, an' everythin' was shaking. i ran up to check on some readings and found the core had become really unstable. the whole lab was suddenly in danger, if not the whole underground."

Sans' voice has quieted and is an octave lower, too. Yet, it doesn't shake or waver. He's so far into the story, it comes out much easier by now.

"there was an explosion of sorts. it was magic and energy mixed. it made all the machines in the lab go haywire. everythin' was suddenly turned on and malfunctioning. i was completely lost on what was goin' on at that point, but later i figured out they were reacting to each other and starting to tear reality apart. determination, magic and electricity going out of control and mixin' into some unpredictable force. im sure those dark matter experiments messed it up too, but i didn't get to look into it more than a glance, so... so...

so, then, everythin' just kinda became a blur. my skull was splitting apart. everything flickered in and outta existence. an', somehow, gaster was back, too. an' man, it was the creepiest thing. he was still trying to attack at that point."

Sans released an exasperated sigh and the lights slowly returned into his sockets.

"it was a mess. he tried to grab me. i somehow managed to scramble away, the details are hazy. i was desperate, so i pushed myself and pap into the time machine. it was still in early testin', but i just thought... in that moment, i just thought, if i could go back by _ten minutes_..."

The human swallows again at this point. They gather enough courage to step a little closer to Sans. He only spares them a fleeting glance.

"From your tone... That didn't work out, did it...?" they ask carefully. Sans nods at that.

"first 'v all, it didn't put me an' pap back in time. it, err. it moved us forward instead, it... after reality tore apart in that place, it dropped us what i expect was the most stable point in the timeline after the ordeal."

Frisk blinks several times.

"So you're actually from the past? Like, how far from the past?" they ask quickly after, shock making it into their tone.

"really... pretty far from the past. lets just say that everyone who didn't outright disappear from reality, well... they were dead when we reappeared."

His voice is still dark. The kid pales. _So much for the 'human-friendly' version_ , Sans thinks in passing.

This time, the silence stretches. What happened from the point Sans and Papyrus landed into this more stable reality is not difficult to deduct. Sans' must've drowned countless hours into research to get them back – I mean, he'd even asked Alphys for help, eventually. Papyrus must've been trying to come to terms with their situation and to make the best of it.

It's clear Sans is giving them time to process everything while wallowing in his own thoughts. And Frisk is sure they're thoughts he's spent too much time wallowing in already. They try to scramble for anything else that seems reasonable to ask at this point. They settle for something a little – and by this they mean _little_ – lighter to ease the mood.

"So... All your weird abilities, and the... The cannons that look a lot like what I think you said is the Determination Extractor...?" they question carefully, posture and voice both gotten stiff.

"right. they're called gaster blasters, by the way," he states, winking as if nothing's unusual about this conversation, "and you're right in thinkin' what you're thinkin' now. i got my powers from what happened that night."

To that, the human gives a thoughtful hum.

* * *

 _[A/N] Cat's outta the bag._


	24. Chapter 24

As if to demonstrate what he's just said, Sans pulls his hand from his pocket and gazes down at it. His left eye lights up blue and flickers to a yellow, sparks of those respective colors lighting up on his palm in turns. He allows this to happen once, then suppresses the magic and closes his fist.

"not gonna lie, i was always good with magic. it's jus' on a new level now," he humms, stretches out his fingers and flexes them lightly again. He can feel invisible sparks vibrate deep within his bones.

The human looks at his hand as he toys with his magic, but Sans doesn't pay any mind to them. He goes through the motions as he would even without them here, and only then faces them again.

Frisk seems to have calmed down from the explanation by now. They're quiet as they sort through their new knowledge, a searching gaze moving across Sans' face. He waits out the stare, preparing for their reaction.

"So, now I know about Gaster. Like I asked," the human eventually states, but it sounds almost like there's a question veiled in there. Sans recognizes it as a wordless ' _what happens next?_ ' They take a moment longer to settle on their next words. "Wh...Why did you tell me all of that, Sans?"

He resists the urge to frown and looks to the side instead.

"'cause ya asked so nicely," he answers lightly. Now it's the human's turn to hold back a frown.

"No, you mentioned it earlier, too. You want something from me in return. You want me to do "the right thing," whatever that means," they press, knowing this isn't the end of it.

Sans hesitates. It's not like he didn't think about it the whole time, but now that they've reached this point... He feels so uncertain.

What if he really is entertaining a false hope?

"considerin' everything youve said to me, just figured it'd be easier to tell ya. and ya know how lazy i can get," he tries, voice strained. This time, the human does frown.

"You have that look. There's always something you want to say, but you don't, when you have that look," the human points out, now folding their arms. They know they shouldn't have any ground to stand on with Sans, after everything that has transpired so far, but they're a little tired of his evasiveness. Even now, when everything is out there on the table.

Oh, he has 'a look'? Well, that makes him uncomfortably self-aware for the moment. Sans pointedly doesn't look at the human, still.

"right, fair enough," he sighs, shoulders sinking, "i do want to say it."

As he says this, his thoughts trail back to his brother. There's a stroke of guilt again, one pressing at his soul.

The human studies his composure, surprised he's giving in so easily. Their own posture relaxes just a bit as they give him some time.

The skeleton hops off the counter and turns to face Frisk. He's still a bit taller than them, though his back is hunched. His eyelights drag across the room before landing on the human, and he takes a breath.

"i want to fix the timeline," he admits softly, tensing as he does, "i wanna fix what i broke."

The human has gathered as much, but they show a concerned expression anyway. Sans looks so vulnerable, they're sure his defence would be dropped if he had any in the first place. They open their mouth to speak, then close it as they figure they should keep choosing their words carefully.

"It wasn't your fault," they try, just as soft as Sans was. A conflicted look flashes on his difficult-to-read face.

"ya weren't there, kid," he protests, more stern this time. He then straightens up before they can get in another word, really not desiring any of their pity.

"but ya see why i didn't wanna say it, right? because fixin' the timeline... it'd probably..." he trails off, and struggles to maintain eye-contact again, "prolly it'd make time travel pretty difficult again. impossible the way youve been doin' it, maybe?"

Then it dawns on them. What they said about not wanting to stop going back is what scares Sans. There's no reason for their opinion to have changed, at least from his point of view. In Sans' eyes, he's just like everyone else to Frisk – someone to be toyed with, someone whose feelings don't matter. _It's all going to be erased_.

The human doesn't realize their mouth is open until shifting through those thoughts, and they snap it shut a little quicker than intended. Their teeth make a small clack and the sound draws out a string of amusement from the infamous comedian, despite everything.

"huh, you sound like a skeleton. don't let papyrus find out, he'll think you absorbed one," he jokes, and the fact that he does makes the human blink several times. His jokes have been few and far between, and they'd been starting to get worried.

"Yeah," they breathe, the sound shakier than expected. They unfold their arms. Their eyes are averted.

Sans would swallow here, but since he lacks the throat, he just inclines his head briefly.

"...so, youre not gonna do it, right?" he asks, fully expecting a denying answer, "youre not gonna help."

Quicker than intended, the human stutters out:

"I-I don't know, Sans. I– It's not like I don't see how horrible all of this is, I just... _I don't know_ ," their voice breaks and they face the monster with glossy eyes, "I don't know if I can do that. Like, literally, I don't know if it's even possible. I don't know anything about science. Not really. And even if I did think it was possible, I just–Wha... What if..."

They trail off and seem to freeze up. Their mouth is sealed and their eyes are fixed on a point on the side wall.

Sans tilts his skull, taken aback by the burst of emotion just now.

"'what if' what...?" he asks, and he recognizes he's rarely the one with the questions. That makes him shift slightly, but the human doesn't budge.

They're at a standstill.

"ok. well," he sighs, posture slumping just a little again, "i'm gonna go. i have a lotta work to do. lotsa breaks to have," he excuses himself sloppily and passes by Frisk to get to the door. "fun talk. and..."

He catches their gaze, even if they're still wordless.

"...hope you'll think about what i said, this time."

But he doesn't hope. No, in his mind, he's already lost. Yet, something still keeps him going.

He's still not entirely sure what it is.

 _Determination?_ he thinks bitterly, then shuts the door behind him.

.

Papyrus sits on the couch, but the MTTV opposite to it is off. He sat down when Sans left the house and he hasn't moved since. His eyes are glued to the floor and he fidgets with his gloved hands awkwardly.

Ever since the tall skeleton and his brother were torn into a different time, he's felt like an entirely different person. Who wouldn't, being suddenly pulled from everything they've ever known? The past, the _way way way past_ past, feels like a different reality altogether.

That's why, now that it's being brought up again, a deep discomfort settles into Papyrus' whole being. It's a strange and unpleasant nostalgia, something that he knows the existence of, but it just feels... _It was all real, right?_ It must've been, considering it's the only past he knows of.

He hunches over slightly, something he normally doesn't do. He recalls the events that brought them here, he recalls Gaster's maniacal expression as the monster tried to take his brother's life. Papyrus remembers the moment he realized he'd just pushed someone to their death.

He winces, and he covers his face with his palms. That happened. _That happened,_ that happenedthathappened. He doesn't notice it when he starts to shake.

For so long he's been driven by his guilt. It's been overwhelming him, and now he's reminded of it in full force. Right now, somewhere, Sans is speaking out loud what he's done. He just knows it.

Even if he said it's his story, he knows he only said it to make Sans feel better about what he would do.

 _I have to make sure my brother knows I'm happy,_ he remembers thinking, _I have to join the Royal Guard. I have to capture a human. I have to help. I have to... I have to..._

 _I have to make up for what I did. Then everyone will..._

He remembers wondering if it shows on him he's killed someone. But by now, he's learnt to forcibly block out the thought.

 _If I do right by everyone,_ he thinks, still shaking, _Everyone will forgive me._


	25. Chapter 25

The snow creaks in rhythm as someone in a hurry rushes through it. Large footprints are left behind, the space between them telling of long strides.

The monster runs, driven by regret and driven by worry. She just hopes she's not too late.

"Hang on, my child," she speaks under her breath.

.

The human paces and fidgets, still in Sans' workshop. They tug through their sleeves again, then stop in the middle of the room and drop into a sitting position. They cross their legs, pull at their hair slightly and groan.

"What do we do, Chara...?" they ask, making themselves out to be smaller than they are. Chara is buzzing with unspoken thoughts, Frisk can tell.

 _We're not going to stop._

The human frowns and shifts their position so they're hugging their knees.

"I know you're lonely, but I don't know, Chara. Maybe you should let it go," Frisk speaks quietly and lulls their head to the side. The buzzing stills. "Maybe we _should_ stop. I...

"I want to free everyone. I want to make them happy. I want to live with Toriel on the surface and I want to grow up. Why won't you let me do that?"

There's a beat of silence, and then...

 _Doing this is more fun._

Frisk bites their lip and sinks their face into their knees. They shake their head, feeling defeated.

"No, it's not... It's not more fun. It's not fun for me, it's not fun for Sans, Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, Asgore, Mettaton or–or any of the monsters. Not even Flo–...Not even Asriel, in the end. It's not fun, _it's not_!"

Their voice fills with desperation, and Frisk raises their head, eyes glossy once more.

"The only one who finds it _fun_ is you," they argue, weak and distinctly undetermined. "You, Chara. This is all just a show for _you_. Because you can't let go. But you keep hurting everyone, all of our friends."

 _They're not my friends._

"Chara!" Frisk shouts, angry and frustrated with the voice in their head, "They _are_ your friends! Or, they want to be!"

They rise to their feet and sigh, tears blinked out of their eyes as they run a hand through their messy, brown hair.

"I want to help them. I want to end the Resets," they breathe quietly.

Surprisingly, they find the other's mood fill with mirth.

 _It's sweet how you honestly think you're the one in control._

Frisk's stance falters, and they gulp. Terror washes over their skin in the form of shivers. Then, only moments later, the emotion is replaced with sadness. It takes the remaining strenght right out of them.

"Chara..." they all but whisper, teeth clenched. Chara doesn't respond.

They stand there for a while, swaying from side to side a couple times before they manage to start walking. There's a black opening by the shelves in the lab, and they head through it, instantly landing right outside the skeleton brothers' front door.

The cold air enters their lungs and they take a moment to just breathe it in. It's never been quite like the surface air, more stuffy and kind of smelling of rock on occasion, but it's good enough. Good enough to help calm them.

Once they feel steadier, they hug their arms gently around themselves. Their thoughts wander away from Chara and the predicament they're in. Since all they can do right now is... Well, in fact...

What _can_ they do now? They have their answers about Gaster and they've made friends with everyone except for Asgore. But going to see Asgore would mean Flowey murdering him, or capturing all of their friends, and absorbing the six human souls.

They could always warn them about Flowey. If they got one of their friends to go with them to Asgore, they're sure that friend could mediate the encounter. However...

Well, their first option falls to Sans, which is a problem in itself. How well does Asgore even know Sans? They've been wondering about that ever since the short skeleton first showed up in that golden hall.

That's something they realize they could pry about. But definitely not yet. After their conversation, Sans had seemed so... Unlike himself. The depression the human has noticed before has been pulled to the forefront along with everything else. It's strange to see him so emotional.

Resetting for answers with Sans is no longer an option. Not unless they destroy everything he's built to keep track on the anomaly with. And, well, they're not sure they can get into _that_ room again. Besides, he's smart–he'd figure out what they've done and why.

Frisk feels their back connect with the door as they slump back. Again, they fall to their original question. _What now?_

They glance over their shoulder at the door, then furrow their brows. They could always start with seeing how Papyrus is doing now, if he's still home.

They pull away enough to turn around and then knock on the door a couple times. They don't wait for an answer before stepping inside. They spot their friend hunched over on the couch, which, for a reason they're not sure they can place yet, alarms them.

Papyrus jumps up when he hears the door crack open, filled to the brim with nerves. He meets eyes with the human, who looks to be taking in his disheveled disposition. He finds himself with his jaw dropped open, gaze shifting from side to side.

"Ah... HUMAN, YOU'RE BACK!" he greets them with quickly acquired vigor, forcing himself into a cheery facade, "I WAS JUST ABOUT TO START WATCHING MTTV! THERE'S A SHOW I'M EXCITED ABOUT! STARTING! IN A MINUTE!"

When the human only stares, their gaze perplexed for one reason or another, Papyrus continues his stammering.

"S-SORRY ABOUT YOUR COAT! I KNOW I'M NOT WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL GET TO IT EVENTUALLY! YOU KNOW THE GREAT PAPYRUS LEAVES NO TASK UNFINISHED!" he exclaims and spins around, finding the remote to turn on whatever show of Mettaton's would be on right now. He finds he struggles to press the button at first, but doesn't notice it's because his hand is still shaking.

The door closes and it becomes quiet in the room except for the sounds of the entertainment. Papyrus stands still, his back turned to the child. He's momentarily forgotten how to exist in his skeletal body.

"Papyrus, are you okay?"

The question makes him remember to breathe, and finally, he turns to face the human again.

"OF COURSE! NEVER BETTERER THAN THE BEST!" he informs quickly, making sure to smile as he does. The human stares at him, still looking so confused. He doesn't know what to make of that.

They must know now, right? And they must hate him.

His shoulders sink. He's about to force himself into another word vomit when he nearly drops the remote, juggles with it for a moment, and then catches it oh-so-clumsily. What is he even doing, at this point?

He holds the device tightly in his two hands, a little tighter than is really necessary. Then, he takes a breath, but it comes out more like a whine. Upon realizing that, his composure drops.

"Y...You must've heard, right?" he speaks, and the way he does makes Frisk's eyes widen in shock. It's so... Uneager. Unexcitable. Normal. "Sans told you everything. I-I said it's okay..."

The human swallows.

"Y-yeah, I heard. He told me," they confirm, gazing at the floor before looking back up at Papyrus, apologetic. They feel as if they're breaching his privacy. "You guys are from the past. Hah, who knew?"

Their attempt to lighten the atmosphere turns out to be quite poor.

Papyrus wrings his hands around the remote, unable to face the human.

"That's all he told you...?" he asks, his disbelief evident. He holds his breath as he waits for an answer. He's terrified, and they hesitate.

"No," they admit, and Papyrus is already mortified, "that's not all. He... Told me how it happened."

When the human takes a few steps closer, the skeleton backs away. A choked noise escapes him, leaving the child standing still and unsure how to proceed.

They didn't think he would be so strongly affected. He's always been so bright and happy and optimistic, no matter what. Even when they...

Frisk's shoulders sink and they close their eyes, pushing away the memory. Then, they take another small step toward Papyrus, slow in their movements. They approach him like they would a scared animal.

It seems to work, as he isn't backing away now.

"It's okay, Papyrus," they say softly, trying to smile in a reassuring way. They don't know what else to say, so they end up repeating themselves. "It's okay."

Finally, he lowers the remote and places it on the table holding the TV. A dark air still surrounds him, one of uncertainty and fear. The human slowly steps closer until they can put their hand on Papyrus' forearm as a comforting gesture.

"I didn't mean to–" he starts, but his voice cracks and he takes a moment to gather himself, "I didn't mean to hurt him–"

So that _is_ the part that has him upset. The human feels his tone tugging at their soul, and they can't help it. They reach around him and hug his waist, silent as they do, face buried into his chest armor. They can only hope this is what their friend needs right now.

It takes a long time for Papyrus to bend down and put his arms around the human's shoulders.

When he speaks next, his voice is a broken whisper:

"I didn't mean to kill him."


	26. Chapter 26

Sans, after everything he's told the human, is feeling rather awful.

Of course, there's an array of emotions going through him – concern, nervousness, anger, bitterness, guilt and to some amounts, _regret_ – but awful just sums it all up well. And whenever Sans is feeling awful, he has a certain go-to habit.

The monster pushes open the door, purposefully loud, and smirks at the room.

"so, a skeleton walks into a bar..."

The crowd at Grillby's is already either groaning or waiting for his joke to progress. After he's done with the first one, a swarm of other ones follow.

He loves making others laugh. Now, he's pushing away unpleasant thoughts with both jokes and a small dose of alcohol.

He wants to stay away from the kid for a while, to give them time to think about his offer. He doesn't want to fight with Papyrus, as he's never been good at that kind of fighting, so he stays away from his brother, too.

"Sansyy~ I'm so happy you're out drinking agaain~ It's been sooo boring without you around," Drunk Bunny slurs. Sans is sitting in a booth with her and a couple other monsters, ones that aren't regulars at Grillby's but who know Sans anyway.

"sorry 'bout that. i've been busy with work," he shrugs, and one of the monsters snickers. He doesn't pay it any mind, even if he wasn't entirely joking. It _was_ his work, once.

"Whew. The underground is completely out of whack these days. Sans claims he's actually working, everyone's whispering about the seventh human _except_ for Undyne, and Mettaton of all monsters seems to have found an ounce of humility," the same monster remarks, amused by his own commentary. He sips from his large mug and sighs contentedly as he puts it down.

"Oh, you saw the show, too?" the one beside him asks, smiling widely, "The ending was super sweet, wasn't it?"

"I guess. A little sappy for my taste."

"tell me about it. papyrus was in tears over it, though," Sans points out amusedly and folds his arms on the table. "tears of joy. it was another _bone_ fide reaction."

The pun elicits smiles, a snort and a drunken laugh from the bunny next to him. The attention is unintentionally brought back to Sans.

"Hey, do you still do those stand-up shows at MTT Resort? I still haven't caught one, since the restaurant is always booked..." the first monster starts, and Sans waves him off casually.

"yeah, mettaton still has a slot for me. i've missed half'a my shows lately, but he keeps givin' me a pass. heh heh. guess i'm his favorite?"

"Can't think of any other reason," the monster across him chuckles and glances to her friend. The crystals she's made of make a quiet array of chinks and jingles. "Anyway... It's getting kind of late. We should head back to the Inn."

"Oh, right. Time flies by fast, huh?" he sighs and finishes his drink in one go. "Alright, well. We're in town for one more day. Maybe we'll see you."

"eh, maybe. but ya know how it is with skeletons," he states vaguely as the two monsters shuffle out of the table. They show him quizzical looks. "ya need x-ray vision to see us."

The female monster snorts while the male rolls his eyes. They wave at Sans as they exit the bar, and he waves back. An unhappy mutter of " _city folk_ " can be heard from near the bar counter.

"What's an X-ray...?" Drunk Bunny mutters to herself, making Sans take a sip of his own drink to muffle a laugh. Grillby's is once again doing a great job of distracting him. He should muster the energy to come over more often again.

Just as he's about to get up and suggest to his remaining companion that they go over to the next table to play cards, he hears commotion outside the bar.

 _Again?_

He looks to Grillby, who looks just as displeased, even expressionless. They share a gaze that quickly tells the short skeleton that his friend doesn't know what's going on, either. And, since he gets curious, he decides to check it out.

"be right back," he assures as he heads for the door, still holding his drink in one hand.

As Sans steps to the yard, he sees some monsters stopped to stare and whisper amongst themselves. A bit farther away, he can even see the companions he's just parted with.

He follows their gazes to whatever it is they're staring at, and he sees a tall, white monster frantically asking questions from a concerned bunny girl. He can't quite make out their conversation from where he's standing, but...

He nearly drops his glass when he figures out who the white monster is.

 _Toriel._

Of course, he knows that in a certain time, a time he doesn't remember, Toriel has come out of the Ruins to join everyone on the surface. But, it's not like he knows how that would come to be. At least he didn't, or wouldn't know before now. He certainly hasn't expected to see her this soon.

So, he's at a loss.

The tall goat woman finishes her tirade of questions to the bunny monster, then rushes through the snowy town as fast as her legs can carry her.

Sans eventually snaps out of his daze while staring at her back.

" _Was... Was that the queen?"_

" _What is she doing here?"_

The gossip around him comes to life, and Sans doesn't stay to listen. The glass in his hand seems to phase out of existence, and he rounds the corner behind the bar. After he does, his surroundings darken and he teleports.

He phases to the location of his second sentry station, the one right at the entryway to Waterfall, and... He has no plan. Toriel is coming his way, and he has _no plan_. What is he going to do? Or to say? Will she stop to listen?

His hands slide into his pockets and he steps in front of his station, waiting anxiously for the inevitable encounter. He'll figure it out. He always does.

When that woman comes into his vision again, though, he still feels himself stiffen. Her gaze barely lands on him when she gets closer, and she's about to just pass him before he speaks.

"hol'up," he simply calls out, and just that makes Toriel come into a faltering stop. She has to turn around now to face him, and her expression shifts into a question. "ya look like youre in a hurry. must be tirin'. why don't you come back to snowdin and take a load off intead?"

He makes a show of gesturing toward the snowy town with one of his thumbs. Toriel flinches, and something dawns on her. _Here we go._

"That voice..." Toriel shifts, then takes a step closer, a bit uncertain with her next words, "Hello, I think we may... Know each other?" She has to look down due to their height difference. It is quite jarring now that he witnesses it in real life.

"oh hey... i recognize your voice, too." And, while an unnecessary statement, it is still a true one. Even if he already knows it's Toriel, it isn't until he hears him speak that he feels so certain of it. He feels a bit at ease now, actually, and anxiety is replaced with anticipation.

"I am Toriel," the goat woman informs, suddenly a smile spreading on her face when she grasps that she's found a fond friend of hers, "So nice to meet you."

"the name's sans," he says right back, winking at her for good measure, "and, uh, same."

They both smile now – genuinely, that is – uncertain where to even begin talking. Normally, they would cut the silence off with a stream of horrible jokes, but there is an unspoken urgency in the air. Toriel's eyes shift a few times before she seems to settle on a thought.

"A human came through the door. Sans, please, please tell me they are alright," she finally pleads, taking another step closer. There's time for more pleasantries later. "I have to find them."

"hey. i promised ya i'd watch over them and all, didn't i?" he says almost teasingly, then shows a more serious expression to wipe away any remaining concern. "the kid's fine."

Immediately, Toriel's shoulders slump as she heaves a long sigh of relief. It takes her several moments to get her soul to calm.

"As happy as hearing that makes me, I would deeply appreciate it if you could take me to them," she then continues, "I need to see them."

As much as he wants to avoid seeing the human so soon again, now it's simply a mute point. He's not going to refuse someone who means so much to him. So, he pulls out his hand and extends it toward the former queen.

"sure. wanna take a shortcut?"

It doesn't even seem to be a question, because she grabs his hand right away, closing it inside two of her own. The sudden contact startles Sans slightly, but he tries his best to conceal it with his smile. It ends up looking nervous and Toriel softens her grip, apologetic.

"Please," she repeats, soft, like her fur.

* * *

 _[A/N] Bear with me through all the filler._


	27. Chapter 27

Papyrus and the human are sitting opposite to each other, turned toward the center of the couch. He's only needed a bit of comforting before the tall skeleton seems more like himself, his posture straighter and his eye sockets not quite as sad.

Still, he doesn't entirely meet the human's eyes, and his loudness is still tuned down when he speaks.

"I know it isn't becoming of a–" Papyrus cuts himself off and fidgets with his glove, "a future Royal Guard to break down like this. Or... Or to _kill_ –" he cuts himself off again. He stares down at the floor for a moment.

The human's mouth has drawn into a straight line. They reach to stroke Papyrus' arm comfortingly again, since physical contact is the only way they can think of to comfort him without interrupting.

"WHO AM I KIDDING," Papyrus finally talks a little louder, but continues to look troubled, "THE ROYAL GUARD–I, I KNOW THAT... I know that we need a human soul to break the barrier. AND I KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET A HUMAN SOUL. H-HUMAN, I'M SO SORRY FOR LYING ABOUT THAT, I JUST..."

He finally faces Frisk, and his jaw quivers slightly before he sets it.

"I KNOW THAT WE NEED IT. AND I WANTED TO HELP, BUT... I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU, OR ANY HUMAN FOR THAT MATTER, OKAY? AND I DON'T WANT KING ASGORE TO TAKE YOUR SOUL! NOT THAT I THINK HE ACTUALLY WOULD... DO THAT."

He seems in conflict with himself, hands suddenly drawn up in front of him as a makeshift shield. The human's brows furrow and once again they elect to say nothing. They know Asgore will make a good effort if they go up to him, even if Papyrus keeps telling himself he wouldn't.

"About... Doctor Gaster..." he starts again, voice smaller when returning to this topic, "I barely remember what happened. And I wouldn't have done it if he hadn't... Tried to..." His fidgeting has increased, until it stills completely. He looks the human in the eye again, full of uncertainty. "Do you hate me?"

The human instantly smiles, though wryly.

"Of course I don't," they say, the response very easy to get out. "I think it'd be impossible for me to hate you, Papyrus. You're my friend."

That actually pulls a gasp from the skeleton, and he covers his mouth with his right hand. Tears start to form at the edges of his eye sockets, but he looks like he's still full of disbelief. So, of course the human rushes to continue.

"I mean it. What you did was in self-defence, and... Like you said, you didn't even mean for it to go that far! It was just an accident."

 _Besides, we've done much worse, haven't we~?_

The human forces away the thought of Papyrus' head falling off his shoulders, locks it away somewhere deep where they don't have to remember it. They make sure not to let out the whine that forms in their suddenly tight throat.

Papyrus goes to wipe at his cheekbones when the tears fall. New ones haven't formed, so Frisk takes this as a sign that he's reassured.

"YOU REALLY MEAN IT... I SUPPOSE SUCH A GREAT FRIEND WOULD! I'VE COMPLETELY UNDERESTIMATED YOU A SECOND TIME! NYEH!" he then exclaims and smiles in such an honest way it brings about another noise in their throat. They swallow it and try their best to smile back, but it still feels strained.

Since the human now finds it difficult to speak, Papyrus ends up filling the silence again – but he's rather good at it, so it's a problem for neither of them.

"I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SPOKEN ABOUT THIS TO ANYONE... NOT EVEN SANS! OF COURSE, HE ALREADY KNOWS, SINCE HE WAS THERE, BUT... WELL, HE ISN'T REALLY THE TALKING KIND OF TYPE, IS HE? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED," he rambles nervously.

"BUT I DON'T REALLY CARE–NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE. BUT I KNOW HE'S VERY PRIVATE. AND HE WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY AND GET US BACK INTO OUR ORIGINAL HOME. I WISH I COULD'VE HELPED, BUT I DIDN'T GO TO UNIVERSITY, NOR DO I REALLY CARE ABOUT THE SCIENCE HE'S INTO..."

When he finally realizes he's just rambling pointlessly and tapping his gloves together, Papyrus comes into another pause and just gazes at the human. Some gears are gently turning in his skull.

"HE HASN'T TOLD ME ANYTHING ABOUT HIS RESEARCH," Papyrus then says, carefully. "BUT HE'S TOLD YOU A LOT. THINGS NO ONE BUT US KNOW... As far as I know." His gaze shifts to the side, somewhere along the brownish-red walls. Eventually it lands on the sock laying on the floor, and his face forms an annoyed frown.

"W-well, I'm not that into science either..." they stutter out with another nervous smile, "and I can say it's not thaaat interesting..."

Papyrus' frown turns back to the human. It's obvious what they're doing, but he decides to take it anyway.

"OH, WELL! I GUESS I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD ON IT!"

In the past, Frisk would have taken Papyrus' dismissive nature as a relief or even thought of it as just a silly quirk of his. Now they just feel like he's overcompensating for his insecurity. It leaves them feeling a little uneasy, but they don't want to break the spell if it comforts their friend.

Something else bothers them, too. They now know for certain Papyrus not just dismisses things, but he plays dumb sometimes. Whether it's just to annoy Sans or to make sure no one will worry about him, they're not sure. Maybe both.

But, they remember calling him once about Alphys' lab, and distinctly remember his response. Because, well, Papyrus pretended he didn't even know what the word "laboratory" means and Sans took it as his cue to jump in.

Considering everything the human has learnt now, however, it's impossible for Papyrus not to know that much. So, the question does nag at them a little bit. Why _does_ the skeleton keep playing dumb, even now? And should they urge him to stop?

While they're pondering the issue, Papyrus stands from the couch, his movements much more certain and eased in comparison to his timidness from before. He picks up the remote with steady hands and turns off the TV. It's been running in the background this whole time, even if neither of them have looked toward the screen in a while.

"YOU'VE BEEN VERY KIND TO ME, HUMAN," he breathes, then turns to to face them, "I MUST THANK YOU. I THOUGHT FOR CERTAIN YOU WOULD... NEVER WANT TO SEE ME AGAIN."

Frisk turns to meet his eyes.

"I would never–"

"YES, I KNOW THAT NOW! I JUST WANTED TO BE HONEST," he cuts them off, shaking his head slightly. "AND AS A 'THANK YOU', YOU CAN KEEP STAYING HERE AS LONG AS YOU WANT! BUT... EVENTUALLY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET KING ASGORE."

Their expression softens.

"Yeah, I know that, too. And I'm still making plans for how to go about it, okay? But it'll be fine. Don't worry," they assure, waving their hands in the air in front of them.

Papyrus inspects them carefully with his gaze for a moment, as if searching for something specific. A moment later he relaxes, satisfied with what he's found.

"AS LONG AS YOU DON'T FORGET," he nods, then grins at them. "NOW IF YOU'RE NOT IN IMMEDIATE NEED OF MY AWESOME COMPANY, I SHALL GO FINISH WHAT I STARTED UPSTAIRS! THAT IS, YOUR NEW WINTER-APPROPRIATE GARMENT!"

He's already on his way by the time he finishes his second sentence and points a finger up at the ceiling at his last point. The human leans back into the couch.

"Thank you again, Papyrus," they say, and the skeleton stops and spins around. He's standing on the lower steps of the staircase, making him seem even taller than he is.

"YOU'RE VERY WELCOME!"

It's at that moment his gaze moves up from the human, surprise painted all over his face. Their brows furrow, but they don't turn to look where he does before they hear footsteps behind them.

When they do look, they see two white monsters, one of them tall and one short. The taller one is quick to close the distance between them as she rushes around the couch and pulls the human into a tight hug. They barely have time to react!

"My child," Toriel all but whispers. The human's jaw has dropped and they're completely still for the following moments.

"T-Toriel?"

"WHO?"

"'sup."

It almost feels like time has come to a stop when the boss monster embraces the human. And, when she does finally pull back to look at their face, they find they're shivering.

"I am sorry it took me so long to follow you," she says, bent down to be on eye-level with the sitting Frisk, and places one palm to their cheek, "It was silly of me to let you go on your own. I am so glad you are alright."

Her eyes are nothing if not apologetic, and Frisk feels their throat tighten all over again. She's not supposed to be here, now! They know she would eventually follow them, but... _But_...

" _Toriel_ ," they say again, but it comes out as a shaky sob and they throw themselves into her arms again.

After everything they've learnt... About what they've done, about the choices they'd have to make – they never even thought Toriel was the exact person they need. But now that she's here, they just wish to cry into her shoulder.

"It is alright. I am here," she reassures warmly and hugs them back just as tightly as they require.

The two skeleton brothers' look to the pair by the couch, then to each other, awkward. Their own issues rise into both of their thoughts momentarily, and the eye-contact is quickly broken, to push them aside for now. There's nothing but the heavy air of a soon-to-come fight between them, and they both know now is not the time.

"I'M SORRY, BUT WHO IS THIS PERSON? THEY LOOK LIKE ASGORE," Papyrus interjects after some time, looking somewhat puzzled at the unfolding scene.

The human reluctantly pulls away from their former caretaker and wipes away whatever tears have formed in their eyes. Toriel still keeps a hand on their shoulder even as she straightens up to meet the other occupant of this house – one she's seeing for the "first time".

"This must be your brother, Papyrus," she remarks to Sans, who only shrugs. She turns back to Papyrus. "I am a friend of Sans'. He has told me a lot about you."

Normally, Papyrus would be flattered. But right now, he doesn't know what to think about Sans, so he opts so divert the topic, instead.

"IS THAT SO... IN THAT CASE: ASGORE'S CLONE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE SOME SPAGHETTI? YOU ARE A GUEST IN OUR HOUSE, AND NO GUEST CAN GO HUNGRY UNDER THIS ROOF!"

Toriel looks like she's about to respond, but surprisingly, Sans cuts in with a nervous demeanor.

"a-actually," he says in a much less casual manner than he usually speaks, not meeting anyone's eyes. Everyone turns their attention to him. "you look like you were kinda busy, bro. so maybe..."

A short silence follows.

"...maybe i should cook instead?"

Papyrus gapes. So does Frisk. Toriel is the only one who seems unfazed.

" _YOU_? BUT YOU DON'T COOK," Papyrus soon gasps, greatly exaggerated in his disbelief. The human closes their jaw and nods in stern affirmation.

"I've never _ever_ –" they pause, the presence of Toriel and Papyrus reminding them to choose their words more carefully, "Um. I had no idea you knew how to cook."

Despite the reactions, Sans already seems much more relaxed.

"yeah, well. i do know _how_. i just haven't done it in a while," he claims, then takes another look at Papyrus. His gaze doesn't stay on his brother for long. "ya don't remember my breakfast pancakes?"

Papyrus frowns deeply.

"NO. I DON'T."

"no? in that case, prepare to be amazed," he simply argues, winking as he makes his way from where he was standing by the door, into the kitchen. "i'll cook you at least a _pasta_ -ble dinner," he calls into the living room, bringing out a small groan from the younger skeleton.

Toriel giggles, which only makes Papyrus' frown more prominent.

"If you are making dinner, at least allow me to assist," she then calls back, though glances at the human as if to make sure they'd be okay. They smile and nod at her. If Sans turns out to be as terrible a cook as Papyrus, at least Toriel will be able to save them.

"'kay, i guess. since yer offerin'," Sans shrugs, though he does seem a little bashful around her.

While Toriel enters the kitchen, Frisk is still trying to process this turn of events.

They're glad to see the boss monster again. She's a kind woman, and she's close to both them and Sans. Perhaps, she's exactly what not only the human needs right now, but also what Sans needs.

And that warms their chest. Toriel can help them sort through this mess, but...

But, their guilt is only increased upon seeing her. And the tension is high in this household. This late dinner should be interesting.


	28. Chapter 28

Sans takes a moment before he actually starts going through cabinets, both high and low, some more difficult for him to reach than others. Toriel, who's in the kitchen with him, is doing her best not to giggle.

When the skeleton inevitably catches her expression, he sighs.

"i think i recall mentionin' that papyrus is the taller brother," he then states, eyes averted in that same bashful manner he's been acting so far. Toriel is still thinly managing not to laugh.

"Which does explain why this kitchen is not quite _down_ to your standard, does it not?" she teases, one paw in front of her mouth now. Sans rolls his eyes, but grins anyway.

"fine, ya got me. will you help me now?" he huffs, though going by his demeanor he isn't even slightly offended. He goes to point at the array of pasta set at a Papyrus-accessible height.

"Of course. I would not want us to remain _short_ of an ingredient," she giggles this time, then picks through the boxes of pasta easily due to her own stature. "Which one?"

"wow, tori. you're awful," Sans responds, but can't help his answering chuckle. "no lasagna, huh...? guess i'll have to improvise. that one." He points to one of the boxes, which just contains normal spaghetti noodles, and Toriel closes the cabinet after taking that one out.

"So that is what we are making? I am not very familiar with it," the goat monster confesses as she watches Sans slide to the fridge.

"dont worry about it. its really easy," he simply shrugs as he takes out an array of things from the cold container.

Sans has chosen lasagna since he knows there are mainly things related to spaghetti, or the making of spaghetti, in their kitchen. Yet, he doesn't want to repeat the usual meal Papyrus makes, especially when it might cause him to draw a comparison between Sans' cooking and his own.

It's strange to be doing this again, Sans admits to himself while dumping everything onto the counter. He gives Toriel directions to chop up the tomatoes while he turns to fry the minced meat.

Of course, a moment later he realizes they should swap duties. Toriel's fire magic will make the meat taste much better than cooking it on the stove would, and Sans doesn't have fur that the tomato might stain. _White_ fur, for that matter. So, only a moment or two in, they go through with the swap.

"You mentioned once that you used to cook on occasion," Toriel comments softly. Her paw lights up with a brilliant, orange flame, the other holding the pan above it.

"oh, yeah. probably did, didn't i?" Sans simply muses, the knife in his hand easily slicing through the first tomato. "i learnt a bit outta necessity. goin' out to eat was a bit pricey for me at the time."

It feels much more familiar to talk to Toriel when they're not fully facing each other. Of course the barrier of the door is no longer there, but this is almost like normalcy.

Seeing her face-to-face is still great, though. Sans can't deny that. Through that door, he's made a strong friendship with the former queen. He trusts her enough to talk about his past, even if he leaves out a lot of details.

Toriel has trusted him a lot about her life, as well. The tragedy that befell her family once upon a time is among those things. They had yet to find out each others' names at that point, but because of his standard knowledge of history, to Sans it had been a rather obvious clue to who she is.

During their friendship, he's learnt what a kind woman Toriel is. He wonders how good of a queen she actually was, but he's only heard good things so far.

Like Toriel, Asgore is also a very friendly presence among his people. They're both very "down to earth," which Sans, among many others, appreciates.

Asgore... That's right. Asgore is a bit of a problem as of now. Depending on what the human chooses, at least.

A silence has fallen over the kitchen and Sans quickly realizes he's already chopped up all of the tomatoes, as well as the onions. He blinks, then scrapes them up into a bowl. He should try not to space out for the rest of the night.

The rest of their cooking is endured either in companionable silence or an easy exchange of words about the house. Or about Sans and his brother. Some about the human, as well.

A few puns are made, but as it turns out, neither of them is really in the mood for it as of now. So, they opt for just chatting.

"So, my child has been with you all this time," Toriel sighs out of relief.

The pair have drifted to the mouth of the kitchen, where the human can clearly hear their conversation. They're seated on the couch and the TV is turned back on. They look away from it just to show an awkward smile to the two adults.

"yup. we also tamed undyne already. the only obstacle left is your ex," Sans shrugs, hands in his pockets as usual. Toriel frowns when the thought of Asgore enters her head, certainly not for the first time that day.

"Do not concern yourself with Asgore. He will not lay a hand on another human. I came here to make sure of it, did I not?"

The human frowns and they shuffle off the couch, then head over to Toriel.

"You're gonna go meet him?" they ask with a slight tilt of their head. Their once-guardian looks taken aback by their approach and hastily pushes off the topic.

"Well! We may talk about it after dinner, my child. Now, would you help me set the table?" she says, gesturing toward the dinnerware cabinet. Sans is quick to cut in.

"you dont have to, y'know. i can do that," he insists, once again a little sheepish in his delivery. The human raises a brow at him, then just pushes past the pair into the kitchen.

"I'll do it," they promise on their way, smiling. Before they can even try to reach for the plates that are entirely too high for them, Toriel goes over to help.

It's sometime later that the food finishes cooking, and by then everything is perfectly dinner-ready. The table is set, the TV has been turned off and everyone has gathered downstairs.

Everyone but Papyrus, that is.

Toriel shoots an expectant look toward Sans, who has been shifting nervously, clearly stalling. He doesn't want to come off too strange, though, so eventually he relents and goes upstairs to knock on his brother's door.

"knock, knock," he starts, attempting to keep the mood light with a joke. He hears footsteps approach, and the handle turns. Sans grabs the handle on his side of the door before it can be opened.

"i know my jokes are terrible, but at least you usually play along," he chastises in a playful tone. He can only hope Papyrus isn't actually this mad at him.

An annoyed sigh commences on the other side.

" _WHO IS IT...?_ "

Sans grins.

"brother."

" _BROTHER WHO?_ "

Somehow, Sans produces a noise that sounds like someone clicking their tongue.

"i know we haven't seen each other for a while, but i didn't think you'd forget me so soon," he finishes with a little dramatic flair in his delivery. The door cracks open and Papyrus looks at him, unamused.

"I DON'T KNOW WHY I KEEP EXPECTING BETTER FROM YOU," the younger brother groans, then opens the door fully in order to step out.

Sans' eyes instantly drop down to Papyrus' clothes and he furrows his brows in surprise. The usual 'Battle Body' is not covering him, rather a set of his other clothes composed of a t-shirt and shorts. He still wears his boots, cape and gloves, but that's all that's left of his so called 'armor'.

"what happened to..." he starts warily, then drifts off to allow Papyrus to finish if he likes. The younger ends up averting his gaze for a second or so.

"OH, RIGHT. I JUST THOUGHT... MAYBE THE BATTLE BODY ISN'T APPROPRIATE FOR DINNER," he says lamely. That doesn't sound much like Papyrus.

Sans shrugs it off.

"okay. well. the grub's downstairs, so..."

He nudges his head toward the stairs and Papyrus nods. The taller skeleton follows his brother to the first floor.

The pair gains a surprised look from the human as soon as they come into the kid's vision. They look up and down Papyrus, then close their mouth quickly and try to steer in their reaction.

The two skeleton monsters occupy one side of the table while Toriel and the human sit opposite to them. The improvised lasagne is set to the middle and, to the human's relief, it smells alright.

"I don't want to jinx it, but... So, you _can_ cook," they say pointedly to Sans and raise a brow. He shifts in his seat and reaches for a ladle.

"can't believe you still don't believe in me," he teases and scoops up some lasagna, then unceremoniously dumps it onto Frisk's plate. "'course you'll see in a minute i ain't as great at it as my bro."

He pauses then, so small it's barely noticeable. Then he scoops up some more lasagna and offers it in Toriel's direction. She holds up her plate for him.

"Oh yes, I heard about it. Sans has told me you learnt cooking from your friend, Undyne?" Toriel asks cheerily while facing Papyrus. Either she has yet to pick up on the awkward atmosphere, or she's fluently ignoring it.

"YOU KNOW UNDY–Well, of course you know Undyne... BUT THAT'S TRUE! UNDYNE HOLDS SUPER SECRET TRAINING SESSIONS WITH ME! IT'S LITERALLY JUST COOKING."

Despite everything, Papyrus still seems quite happy to speak to Toriel when he's addressed by her.

"mmhmm, she's taught him everythin'. that's why we go through like fifteen pots a week," Sans comments in passing while putting out a portion for Papyrus. The taller skeleton side-eyes him.

"YOU KNOW THAT SHE WANTS ME TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I DO," he starts, picking up a fork and no longer shooting a glance at his brother, "AT LEAST _I_ STILL HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT."

Once again, there's a pause in Sans' movements. The human's eyes widen before they fix their gaze firmly on their plate. It sounds like their normal bickering, but there's spite laced into their words.

"Um..." Toriel starts, and it seems she's finally caught onto the mood, "Have I perhaps arrived at an inconvenient time...?" she asks carefully while Sans dishes out the last portion to himself.

"nah, tori. it's cool. ya know siblings," Sans replies nervously, glancing at Papyrus, hoping that he'd play along. He doesn't want to trouble the former queen.

And Papyrus does _try_ to play along, as he doesn't like troubling their guest, either.

"HE'S RIGHT. IT'S NOT INCONVENIENT AT ALL! I'M JUST _ANGRY_ –A LITTLE ANNOYED AT SANS FOR... NOT DOING HIS LAUNDRY," he picks at his food, "BUT THEN STILL DOING THE LAUNDRY AT SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE ANYWAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TAKEN HIM _WEEKS_ TO EVEN LOOK TOWARD THAT _STUPID SOCK_ , AND–"

He inhales, exhales, then takes a bite of his food. Sans has fallen into a still state of shock as he waits to see whether the rant will continue.

After the bite of food is gone, Papyrus carries on. But his tone is a lot less tense.

"YOU KNOW WHAT? IT DOESN'T MATTER RIGHT NOW. SORRY ABOUT THAT," he then says with a sheepish smile directed only at Toriel, "WHAT IS ASGORE'S CLONE DOING IN THIS PART OF THE UNDERGROUND, ANYWAY? I BARELY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOU. AND BY 'BARELY ANYTHING', I MEAN NOTHING AT ALL!"

Frisk quietly tries their portion of food, stubborn to stay out of the conversation. There's way too much tomato and vinegar in it, but otherwise it's pretty good.

"I..." Toriel blinks, then her eyes drift to the human. "I took care of this child after they fell from the Surface." Her paw takes a gentle hold of one of their shoulders. "Initially, I was going to let them go through their journey alone, but... I came to my senses. I should have gone with them from the beginning," she sighs.

Frisk carefully lifts their gaze just enough to look at Toriel reassuringly and place their own hand over hers. She smiles at them.

"Luckily, your brother has been looking after them, like I asked him to," she adds, beaming at Sans. Papyrus reluctantly follows her gaze, then drops it back to his plate.

"OH, I SEE," is all he says before he resumes eating.

Sans is still sitting stiffly, not having even touched his food besides pouring way too much ketchup on top of it. It takes him a moment to shake out of it and join the conversation.

"y-yeah, well..." he starts, then clears his voice, "'s not like they needed me around much. they're pretty resilient." He turns to look at the human, hoping they'll cut in with something. Anything.

The human pointedly avoids his gaze, despite indirectly having caused this mess. Sans feels lucky he doesn't have to force himself to keep smiling.

"i guess we don't have as much to _ketchup_ on as i thought," he eventually jokes, as that's the only way he knows how to diffuse tension. Papyrus, who is about to take a bite of his food, pauses his fork midair. Toriel chuckles slightly.

"i mean, 'course catching up requires us to see _eye_ to _eye_ and, uhm, i'm actually missin' two," he carries on, which pulls another chuckle from Toriel. "but y'know, you won't tell me to _socket_ just 'cause i'm bein' a real _eye_ sore, will ya?"

"Ha! So you think you are being a real _lid_ -down, do you not?" she shoots back, smirking at him. Sans feels the tension leave his shoulders.

There's a few sounds of a fork lightly hitting a plate before Papyrus is standing up, his food gone.

"THANK YOU FOR THE MEAL. YOU CAN LEAVE THE DISHES AFTER YOU'RE DONE, I WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM. SINCE YOU COOKED," he tells, looking displeased. Then he takes his plate into the kitchen. Sans and the human follow him with their gazes.

"uh... was it the puns?" the older brother asks awkwardly when Papyrus returns. The latter frowns.

"YES," is all he says before he heads upstairs. No one can get another word in before the door of his room closes after him.


	29. Chapter 29

Toriel has asked the human to collect their plates after the meal is done, and they've done just as she's asked. They carry the pile into the kitchen, unaware of Sans' studying look on their back.

He's still sitting down opposite to Toriel, both of them lost in their respective thoughts as they watch the human do their chore. Sans can only guess at what's going through Toriel's head; Concerns about meeting Asgore, regrets about how long she's waited to confront him...

He doesn't interrupt. Rather, his eyelights finally avert from Frisk and fall down to his skeletal hand, inattentively tapping at the table. His motions are soft enough to barely make a sound, so it's not particularly distracting.

When the human returns a moment later is when the calm of the room comes to an end. The imaginary clock keeps ticking softly, and Sans stops tapping his fingers. Toriel's voice would startle him if her clothes didn't make a soft rustle from shifting before she speaks.

"Well then, it is certainly getting late, is it not?" she says softly, her smile directed at Sans as Frisk settles next to the table. "Thank you for dinner. The next time, perhaps I shall be the one to cook?"

She stands, and Sans follows the gesture. His hands hide inside his coat.

"sure. i have been _dying_ to try some of your food," he winks in response, seeing if he could make another pun out of being a skeleton. Toriel doesn't laugh, exactly. She shows a wry smile and covers her mouth with one hand.

He figures there's something in the statement he doesn't quite grasp, but has too much on his mind already to dwell on it.

"Regardless, it is about time I head to the capital," Toriel then says, eyes on 'her child' now, and a moment later she pets the top of their head affectionately.

"ya sure? you must be tired runnin' here from the ruins," Sans argues half-heartedly and follows her as she crosses the room.

She turns when she reaches the door, showing one of her reassuring smiles Sans has quickly discovered often inhabit her face. Frisk is attracted to the boss monster like a magnet, awkwardly hovering nearby even as she's ready to exit.

"No, no. It is quite alright..."

She waves it off easily, then looks down at the human again. She seems to consider something and Sans waits for her to finish the thought. She sighs.

"As much as I do not wish to part with this child yet, I do have to ask you for a favor. I can not bring them to Asgore at this time. Would you mind watching over them a little longer...?"

Her hopeful gaze meets Sans' own and he does his best not to look nervous.

"uh, sure thing," he agrees, since he can't very well cause more trouble for Toriel. She's only ever been kind, and he's not sure he has a reasonable enough excuse to deny the request.

She visibly relaxes, smile widening just a tad.

"I can not thank you enough! Once I have finished my business with my ex-husband, I will be sure to repay you for your kindness," she says so sincerely that Sans has to look away.

Usually, lying comes easy to him. He even lies to Papyrus, who's supposed to be the most important person in his life – but something about Toriel's nature makes it very uncomfortable to deceive her.

"it's nothin'," he shrugs and watches as she hugs the kid goodbye. They seem to melt into her embrace.

That only makes Sans feel all the more hollow with his thoughts regarding the human.

Once Toriel pulls away from Frisk, she graces them both with one more glance before she nods and exits through the door.

As soon as she's gone, the human is awkwardly looking at their feet. Sans gazes at them for a moment, then feels his eyes drift to the staircase. His head tilts until his view has slid all the way upstairs. His vision focuses on Papyrus' door.

He averts his eyes to the floor, contemplative. He's reconsidering his choices.

"hey," he starts, feeling more hesitant about things than before. The human looks up at him, timid. "could'ya go catch up with toriel...? i..." he blinks, avoiding Frisk's expectant look. "go to undyne's or alphys' for the night."

There's a similar hesitance to their stance. The human sways slightly, then rubs at their arm. Sans keeps an eye on them from the corner of his vision, wondering what's still keeping them.

Then, to his surprise, he's slightly unbalanced by a weight on his side. A pair of arms wrap around him and his stance falters just slightly. He's startled into looking straight at Frisk, who's adjusting their grasp into a softer hug.

He can't quite put together why this is happening, or how the human has gathered enough courage to actually touch him. He's made it rather clear by always keeping a physical distance from everyone that he isn't usually the touchy type. (Although, it's not like he's uncomfortable with it either.) And, with their recent history, this doesn't seem like the most logical thing for the kid to do.

Before he can actually gather his thoughts, or banish the single droplet of magical sweat that has formed on his temple, the human already pulls away. They give him a hesitant smile, then cast their eyes sadly to the floor.

With a final sway in their step, they turn around and exit through the door, leaving Sans in his stunned state.

.

Papyrus paces in his room, back and forth, back and forth. He paces for what must be at least ten minutes, his irritation remaining the same until he eventually flops down onto his bed, groaning in frustration.

 _Why is Sans being so frustrating?_ It's a question he can't entirely answer. Why doesn't he trust him with the entire truth? Why does he have strange connections with friends Papyrus has never heard of? _Why is there so much about Sans' current life Papyrus didn't know he doesn't know?_

Yes, they're brothers. They've always been brothers, and he's well aware brothers don't need to disclose everything to each other. Papyrus certainly doesn't disclose everything to Sans, either! But yet, when it's about something so important, he can't help but feel a bit betrayed.

 _Speak of the skeleton,_ Papyrus thinks when a new knock sounds on his door. He frowns.

"GO AWAY, SANS..." he tells him moodily, an attitude he only saves for his sibling at times.

" _come on. i'm here to apologize, y'know? i won't even make any jokes, if that's what it takes."_

Papyrus rolls his eyes at that. It's not like the jokes matter to him so much in the end. They both know it's just banter.

Regardless, he isn't the type to shut people out. So whenever Sans shows any determination to solve an issue, he doesn't fight back for long. So, a beat or so later, he feels himself relent.

"YOU CAN COME IN," he promises begrudgingly.

Papyrus doesn't have a lock on his door, so Sans enters freely a moment later. The door is left half open as he stands near it, some conflict between the look in his eyes and the permanent grin of his teeth. The younger brother sits up on his bed, knees bent as a place for his forearms to rest.

"i'm sorry," Sans starts right away, as promised. For what it's worth, he does sound like he really is. "i know i've been actin' kinda selfish lately..."

Papyrus squares his shoulders defensively, sinking in his position. He doesn't want to forgive this so easily, doesn't want to push it all down again.

"NO, SANS. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH," he tells him firmly, now meeting the other's eyes, "WE NEED TO HAVE A REAL TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING! WE NEVER HAD THAT."

Sans averts his gaze, visibly uncomfortable. He shifts on his feet, unsure in his footing.

"y...youre not wrong, okay? we never did really talk about what went down. but i thought... i don't know, i just didn't think it was necessary..." he excuses weakly.

"WELL, IT WAS! I... _KILLED_ SOMEONE! IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN JUST... _Forget,_ OR–"

"papyrus, what the hell? no, you didn't kill–w, why would you even think that?!" Sans startles, gaze suddenly fixed on his younger brother. He's filled with concern. Papyrus flinches.

"Be... Because..." he hesitates and nervously twiddles his thumbs. He can't put together more than that, it seems. That reaction is all it's taken to make him quiet.

"all ya did was push 'im! it was _gaster_ who tripped, it was _gaster_ who was clumsy– an' ya only had to do that because i had been careless," Sans argues sternly and seats himself by Papyrus' feet on the bed. "You saved my life."

By the end, Sans sounds so serious it leaves no room for further argument. Papyrus can feel his cheekbones heat up from embarrasment, and he shyly faces the shorter skeleton.

"O-OH... IF THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL..." he stammers awkwardly, not sure what else to say. He still feels an inkling of guilt, but hearing Sans' opinion has eased his concience a lot.

This is exactly why they should have talked ages ago.

Sans lets out a long exhale, his eyes closing. He takes a better position on the bed, casually crossing his legs.

"you're right, i shoulda spoken to you about that after it happened. again, i'm real sorry," he adds softly now that the both of them are calmer. "i guess it's just not my forté. talkin' about this kinda stuff, i mean."

Papyrus' posture relaxes slightly and his position opens up a bit.

"IT'S REALLY NOT," he agrees in a dry, but humorous manner. They both take a moment to assess their thoughts, then he continues: "BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING NOW. IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE CRACKERS IS GOING ON!"

Sans feels the accusation in his bones and cringes a bit at the feeling. His brows knit together, but he knows there's no escaping this.

"okay... i know ive been keepin' ya in the dark, even though i know you would understand if i told ya. it's stupid, i agree... so i'll stop," he says shyly, squeezing his hands into fists inside his pockets. He hunches just slightly.

Papyrus seems satisfied with that and simply waits for Sans to elaborate.

"the kid... the human, they... they have some connections with time travel because of their determination," he exhales, re-establishing eye-contact with Papyrus. The latter still just listens. "so... ive been thinkin' that maybe... and i told ya this much already, but maybe they could help."

"YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT TIME MACHINE AGAIN." It's a simple statement. Sans nods.

"i worked on it a lot back then. i know you ain't blind, even if i didn't explicitly tell you what kinda work i did. i failed over and over again, and i just..."

His gaze drops when his words do. Papyrus' expression softens, despite being made of bone.

"SANS," he starts carefully, "I KNOW YOU'RE DEPRESSED."

...

No one's ever said it out loud.

Even if it's true, it's never been thrown at his face. So naturally, it feels like time has stopped for a moment. A tightness has taken place inside Sans' ribcage, around his soul.

He hesitates for a while, then...

"yeah."

And with that simple breath of an affirmation, the tightness disperses – at least partially. He's startled by the wave of relief he feels washing over him. It's... Out there. It's being addressed, for real.

Papyrus frowns sadly, even if he's known this for a while. He's just been a little scared to bring it up, of how Sans would react to it being pointed out. But, he also feels relieved that it seems to be going over just fine.

"A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAD OR DEPRESSED IN THE UNDERGROUND," he soon adds, waiting for Sans to gain enough courage to face him again. "IT'S NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!"

"that's true," Sans agrees, though there is a distinct waver in his usually light voice. He looks up at his brother, and only that is enough to feel some of his sympathy coarse through. "but mine isn't because we're underground. i mean, it's not like i particularly wanna live here or anythin', but..."

Once again, his brother only waits for Sans to elaborate. He doesn't want to unintentionally ask diverting questions when Sans is finally being open with him. The older of the two considers his words, unsure if he appreciates the silence. It puts a pressure on him that he's not used to.

"...i... i want to go back home. back to our original home," he admits in a small voice, even if Papyrus should've already put that much together by now, "everythin' here feels hollow. broken. it doesn't feel right. the only thing that does feel like home is _you_ , but... i've been failin' to make you happy, too."

The taller skeleton frowns and, in a rare physical gesture, places a reaffirming hand on Sans' shoulder.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! YOUR EFFORTS HAVE NO GONE UNNOTICED, BROTHER!" Papyrus quickly counters. He's never wanted to seem ungrateful. "IN FACT..."

Sans looks at where Papyrus' hand connects to his shoulder and follows his arm up until they're eye-to-eye again.

"...I DON'T THINK I'D WANT TO GO BACK."


	30. Chapter 30

Through the half-open door to Papyrus' room, two distinct voices can be clearly heard arguing. Unusually, both of them are loud with their voices, and if anyone were to visit their house as of now, they'd be treated to a messy show of emotions.

".. _.and i can't believe yo_ u want me to throw away everything i've been doing–!"

Sans exits the room with his hands rubbing at his temples, his face scrunched up in uncontrollable irritation as he hastily makes his way down the stairs. Papyrus follows at his heel a moment later, mirroring his irritation despite seeming much more nervous with his deliveries.

"I'M NOT THROWING ANYTHING AWAY, SANS! YOU TRIED, YOU FAILED! _YOU REALLY TRIED_ AND I'M _PROUD_ OF YOU FOR THAT, BUT TO STILL PURSUE IT IS UNFAIR AND–!"

They're at the top of the stairs when Sans whips around to face Papyrus, bringing both of them into a sudden halt.

"unfair? _Unfair_?! yeah, maybe it's a little unfair! but everything happening so far has been unfair! i want to fix it, i have to believe i can! the answer to it is out there!"

"EVEN IF IT IS, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN FIND IT! I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT! I WAS HOPEFUL WHEN YOU STOPPED YOUR PURSUITS, BECAUSE FOR A WHILE AFTER, YOU WERE GETTING _BETTER_! BUT NOW YOU'RE JUST FALLING INTO THE SAME TRAP AGAIN..."

"just because everything looks normal and okay to you, it doesn't mean it is! you don't have all the facts!"

Sans spins around and makes his way down the stairs, back stubbornly turned to his brother. Papyrus swears he could explode.

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU WON'T TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE!"

He still follows Sans, not willing to let him walk away like this.

"because it wouldn't matter even if i did...!"

A strange desperation laces Sans' words. The taller skeleton frowns deeply.

"THEN STOP BRINGING IT UP!"

They both fume in silence as they enter the kitchen and Sans tugs open the fridge. What is he even looking for? He knows there's nothing but spaghetti inside.

He slams the door shut and holds his temples again, groaning as he thumps his forehead into the white door. Papyrus has his arms crossed as he glares at his brother's back. His foot taps at the ground impatiently.

It's not like Sans and Papyrus never argue, because they do. Outside their playful banter, they do have more serious disagreements from time to time, especially since they are polar opposites in many ways.

Yet, this is one of their worse fights. Even when they do fight for real, they rarely shout at the top of their lungs. They do glare and frown at each other and take jabs at each other's positions, but straight up shouting only comes up when they just can't make their ideals slot into the same picture.

"...i can't believe you want to stay."

Sans' voice is worn by now, exhausted from the emotional outburst. Papyrus isn't nearly as tired, but he calms his voice regardless.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU STILL WANT TO GO BACK."

And then, that's that. An uncomfortable atmosphere has set into the room, muddying their thoughts and putting all of their happier interactions on hold. Both of them realize at the same time that they need space to think. Space to _really_ calm down.

Papyrus inhales deeply to make sure he doesn't lose his cool.

"I'M GOING TO GO FOR A RUN. WHEN I COME BACK, I'M GOING STRAIGHT TO BED," he informs, then slowly turns around, ready to head out of the kitchen. "WE CAN CONTINUE THIS TALK LATER."

Sans takes a moment while Papyrus hovers in spot, waiting for his response. Eventually, he sighs and pulls away from the fridge.

"yeah, ok. that's probably a good idea," he agrees, and just as Papyrus is about to leave... "i'm sorry for yellin'."

Again, the younger's expression softens.

"ME TOO."

They part ways after that. Sans stays inside for a while, falls onto their lumpy couch and stares at the ceiling. He's lying down, but it's hard to feel relaxed.

After changing his position five, six, seven times, he finally gets back up. He pinches the bridge of his nasal cavity and squeezes his eyes shut.

What the hell is he supposed to do now?

Just... Put aside everything he's done? Put aside the actual possibility of going home? Back to his old life? The life he used to love...?

Even if it's for Papyrus, it's just... Too much. He needs to at least sleep on it, he knows, but he also knows sleep won't come to him right now.

He takes a frantic walk to the door and is about to open it. His magic gathers into his hand, ready to lead him to Grillby's through this door, if he so wishes. But he hesitates. Even if he does need a drink right now, it also seems like a terrible idea.

Reluctantly, he brings a different location to mind instead. He opens the door and enters his basement – shuts it, sits down with his back against it.

At least here, he won't be bothered.

.

Skeletons don't really feel the cold.

They don't really feel the heat, for that matter.

Though they have some nerves running through each bone in their body, they don't have skin, they don't have flesh and they don't have blood (the last a distinctly human trait). None of those to feel the great differences in temperature.

That's why it's so easy for them to live wherever they like in the Underground. They are a rare type of monster, but some can be found living in Hotland. That's where Papyrus spent his childhood as well.

He thinks back on it as he runs through Snowdin now. He runs into the forests and takes paths that lead him somewhere Sans wouldn't think to follow him, paths that wouldn't cause him to run into him by accident. As silly as that thought is.

When he's been running enough to make himself get out of breath, he stops to lean on his knees. But he's not ready to go home yet, so he wipes off some of the snow on a lone rock, then rests his legs by sitting on its edge. The snowy pine trees give him a nice, shadowy shelter in the quiet woods.

Admittedly, the atmosphere isn't very charming. No, it's actually a bit unsettling. Like a beginning to a horror film. But Papyrus is used to this, as he's run through this place dozens of times before.

He brings his knees up as he allows his train of thought to shift rails, right back into the past. His shoulders sink at the thought. He remembers doing well at school. He remembers Sans working a lot. He remembers their parents not being around...

He closes his eyes for a moment, then frowns. _As_ he remembers, there's a weird, nagging feeling. Something that he's never noticed before.

But before he can prod at that feeling much at all, he's pulled out of his thoughts by a voice.

"What are you doing all the way out here, Papyrus?" questions the high pitch of a certain yellow flower. It's popped out of the snowy ground, staring at the tall skeleton quizzically from a few feet away.

Papyrus doesn't startle, as it's not unusual for Flowey to suddenly pop into his view.

"I AM ON A RUN! OR, I WAS. NOW I'M–" he can't say taking a break. The Great Papyrus never takes breaks! So, he opts for the truth. "I'M AVOIDING GOING BACK HOME."

The flower frowns, worried.

"Golly! Why is that?"

Papyrus hesitates a little. Though Flowey is his friend, he doesn't exactly want to explain the details of his fight with Sans. Maybe just the general picture would be enough?

"I HAD A... _SLIGHT_ DISAGREEMENT WITH MY BROTHER."

Okay... Underplaying it a little. But it's not completely untrue.

"With the– With your brother? Oh, geez. That sounds rough," Flowey sympathizes in a drawn out tone. "What was it about?"

How much would it be alright to say? He remembers Sans telling him, long time ago, that his work should remain secret for most people. It's been a long time and there's been a big gap since Sans last worked on science. Is it still so?

He decides to simplify it further, just incase.

"WE... WE'VE BEEN ALWAYS KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA OF MOVING BACK... TO... HOTLAND. ACTUALLY, SANS SEEMS DEAD SET ON IT NOW. BUT I STILL HATE THAT PLACE!" Papyrus explains, waving his hand out in a mild expression of his emotions.

Flowey seems to contemplate this for a moment.

"So? Why don't you just live apart?" he asks bluntly, tone hinting at annoyance, even.

That... Wouldn't work. Perhaps this explanation isn't sufficient after all.

If Sans continues with his research and, on the off chance, _does_ find a way to go back and fix everything... That would mean a reshaping of the future. One where everything might be completely different, and were Papyrus to remain in the present, maybe... He wouldn't even exist?

And not only that, but he'd perhaps never see his brother again. No, that wasn't an option. He wouldn't even entertain the idea of separating. If it would really be just about living in different houses, maybe after Papyrus gets himself a paying job, they would do that anyway. At some point.

"NO, I COULDN'T LEAVE SANS," he says after a while, looking regretful as he eyes the snow. Their argument still remains undecided, even if Papyrus thinks he's making some very good points.

"Really. Aren't you being a little dependent on him?" Flowey questions, openly frowning as he shoots dubious looks at Papyrus. The tall skeleton flinches slightly.

That can't be true, can it? Is he depending on Sans too much? But Sans depends on him, too. That can't be it.

"WELL!" he starts, already defensive, "MAYBE? BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING!"

The flower still seems rather displeased, but doesn't comment further. It does shiver slightly from the cold, though.

"FLOWEY, I NEED TO FIND A WAY TO CONVINCE SANS THAT GOING BACK IS A BAD IDEA!" Papyrus then exclaims, leaning a bit in his friend's direction. The flower sways once, rolling its eyes, but it does seem to think about the statement. For a moment, at least.

"I didn't come here to solve your childish problems," Flowey snaps. "In any case, I have no idea how to sway your brother. Maybe tell him you'll so something bad if he doesn't agree with you."

"WHAT? NO, I WOULN'T DO THAT!" Papyrus replies hastily, shocked by the implications. "WHAT AN UNDERHANDED WAY TO WIN AN ARGUMENT!"

"That's the best I got! If that isn't good enough, I'll just go on my way!" Flowey spits back, then dives back into the ground. Papyrus hops onto his feet.

"NO, WAIT!"

Oh, no. Now he's arguing with Flowey, too. When will this spiral end?

Is Papyrus being too stubborn?


	31. Chapter 31

There's a tight knot in Sans' soul, one that keeps getting tighter the more he thinks about his problems. He hugs his knees as he still sits with his back to his laboratory door.

 _Papyrus wants to stay._ He still can't quite comprehend that. Yes, he's been trying very hard to make his little brother happy in this place. But somehow, he's never actually believed Papyrus would get so very attached.

If that's the case, what has he been working toward this whole time? All those sleepless nights working on something unfixable. All the suppressed emotions and exhaustion. The struggle to balance his growing despair and depression with keeping their new lives manageable.

He's put so much into fixing a mistake, and he's so tired. Then he's told that's all been for nothing.

Before he knows it, that feeling in his chest has become suffocating. He struggles to draw breath and his face feels warm. Huh? He raises a hand to his cheek, shakily, and feels tears.

"damn it," he chokes out, then swallows. He forces himself to breathe, to collect himself. He can't break down now. He can't break down, period. It's not an option. He has too much responsibility for that.

Sans purposefully changes the direction of his thoughts. As he calms himself, he thinks about the human instead. But even that feels too difficult at the moment, as what's going on with them now relates too closely to his other issues. But he can't just put it off forever, either.

He needs to clearly explain to Frisk, to Chara, what their existence is. And he needs to find a way to make Chara his ally, a way that actually works.

He sighs, feeling a little calmer by now. The tears have stopped and he's managed to reel in the majority of his emotions. The usual numbness takes over bit by bit. He gazes at the machine at the other end of the room, almost scrutinizing it for existing right there.

Though Sans tries for the opposite, his thoughts keep effectively boomeranging back to the knot in his soul. And so, he remembers. His eyes dim as he thinks to his life back then.

Working alongside brilliant people and under Gaster's leadership had been his dream come true. The work they used to do could be tedious, but he loved it to bits. He was one of the nutcases that sometimes would barely sleep when working on a project, allowed it to consume almost all of his time. Then, when he'd return home, he'd spend his time looking after Papyrus, who he thought of as a great brother even back then.

Of course he had his friends, too. Ones that he will likely never meet again now that he exists in a shattered reality. His eyes fall closed at that thought and he buries his face into his knees. All of that, everything that he used to work for for himself, is gone. All because he hadn't realized the fall his boss' mental health had taken.

Because he made a rash decision to operate a machine he didn't even know how to operate. Because he couldn't find a way to defuse a heated situation with two individuals who hold differing importance to him. And worst of all, he's made Papyrus carry such guilt over it without even knowing it.

Of course Sans blames himself. He blames himself, because if his actions had been different, most of that could have been avoided. He feels like he's messed up everything, and even now he clings to a past he still loves.

Is he being selfish? The one time Papyrus wants him to give up on something, he stubbornly refuses. His life now... It isn't that bad. Why can't he just accept it?

He has friends, he has bad jokes, he has a well-paying job (and a few more to boot). He has his brother. He even does some stand-up comedy at that resort. Even if none of that is where his true passion lies, they're things he should value more than he does.

That's what he agonizes over as he sits in that same spot, for much longer than he realizes. He forgets about the passage of time again as he lightly disassociates from the world around him, completely lost in his thoughts and memories.

.

Papyrus has returned from his run safely and is asleep in his room by the time Sans returns. The former isn't one to sleep for very long at all, so his brother is lucky to come back when he's still unconcious.

Sans makes his way into his room, walking across the house instead of abusing his teleportation. He's too tired for magic right now.

As soon as he enters his room, he locks the door, walks over to his mattress and collapses onto it, face first. He lies like that for a moment before he curls up on his side instead. He shuts his eyes and pushes himself to fall asleep.

.

In the morning, Sans finds himself lying on the floor. He thinks nothing of it, simply turns onto his back and stares at the ceiling. He's so tired, but not sleepy at all. His body feels so heavy. He doesn't want to move.

It takes him a long time before he convinces himself to sit up. Once that's done, standing isn't quite as big a challenge. He distantly notes that it feels like his state has regressed, but he doesn't see the point in bringing that thought to the forefront.

Sans considers changing his clothes, but if he's just going downstairs, there's no point anyway. So he abandons that idea and drags his feet to his door.

He takes a collecting breath before he steps out, as ready as he's ever going to be.

The short skeleton exits his room and travels through the house. His knees feel like they might give out as he walks down the stairs, which he cringes at. This is getting pathetic. He pushes himself into a less weak state of mind as he approaches the kitchen.

As expected, Papyrus is inside. He isn't making anything at the moment, simply arranging and disposing of expired groceries. His outfit is similar to the one he wore the day before, not his Battle Body.

"mornin'," Sans greets him sheepishly. Papyrus doesn't turn around, surely already aware of his sibling's presence far before he speaks.

"GOOD MORNING, SANS," he responds coolly and finishes sorting through the fridge. It doesn't take longer than a moment or two, after which he closes the door and turns to his brother. His eye sockets widen subtly. "YOU LOOK TERRIBLE!"

Sans grins at that. He hasn't taken a look into a mirror, but it's probably true. He can almost feel the dark circles just below his sockets. They must be deeper than usual for Papyrus to comment on his disposition.

"uh... yeah, probably. i didn't sleep much," he admits meekly. No use in lying now. A small flash of concern visits Papyrus' features. "anyway... what time is it? you're not with undyne yet."

"IT'S EIGHT. SHE'S SLEEPING IN," Papyrus sighs, visibly disappointed. "BUT, UM... SANS! I WOULDN'T USUALLY PUSH YOU TO LAZE AROUND, BUT MAYBE YOU SHOULD SLEEP A LITTLE LONGER TODAY. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU NEED IT!"

The older brother shakes his head.

"tried. not sleepy," he summarizes, then accidentally goes against his point by yawning. Papyrus shoots him an incredulous look.

"WELL, I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER! SO DO AS YOU WISH," he shrugs and goes to move the trash can away from the fridge, where it'd been set for convenience's sake. "JUST REMEMBER TO EAT SOMETHING WITH ACTUAL SUBSTANCE TO IT TODAY AND DON'T BAIL ON YOUR JOBS, EVEN IF THEY SEEM UNNECESSARY!"

Sans actually manages a chuckle at that, then drifts away from the kitchen and heads for the bathroom. He's gone too long without a shower.

"SANS?"

He halts in the living room and turns around to see Papyrus follow after him.

"yeah, bro?"

"CAN WE TALK? I HAVE TIME, AND WE'RE BOTH CALM BY NOW..." he speaks at a Papyrus-appropriate softness and wrings his gloves together. Sans feels a pit build in his non-existent stomach, but nods anyway.

"honestly, i was gonna put it off... but youre right, we should do it now," he agrees, and they both take a seat on their lumpy couch. Papyrus shifts on it once or twice, frowning at the uncomfortable seat. They should both be used to it by now, but once in a while they're reminded of the terrible cushions.

Sans crosses his legs as he turns to face the other, slouching just the obligatory bit. Papyrus sits with his back straight and his shoulders relaxed. As usual, their positions provide a contrast.

Papyrus draws in a breath, taking responsibility over starting the conversation.

"I THINK I CAME OFF TOO STUBBORN," he begins immediately, not beating around the topic so they can get this conversation over and done with. "I DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE I JUST WANT YOU TO FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU'VE WORKED TOWARD."

Sans shows a guilty expression, then lowers his gaze to the space between them.

"ya didn't come off like that, i was just... frustrated," he assures quietly, "i acted really stupid. what you said makes complete sense. i shouldn't..." Sans drifts off for a moment. "i shouldn't cling to something that's already lost."

Papyrus blinks at him, sadness making its way into his demeanor. There's something really depressing about the way Sans is speaking. He worries about hearing that kind of tone.

"SANS," he starts, and waits for the other to actually look at him before he continues, "I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS IN A REALLY BLACK-AND-WHITE WAY, I THINK. IT'S EITHER WE GO BACK, OR WE DON'T. BUT..." he hesitates, "THERE MAY YET BE ANOTHER OPTION THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT AT THIS POINT!"

Sans almost seems to consider it before his eyes dim again.

"that might be true, but... it's like ya said. i'm not as smart as gaster was. not sure i could figure out how to fix a tear in the fabric of the universe," he chuckles humorlessly. Papyrus frowns.

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THAT FAR, JUST..." He would roll his eyes properly, were he able. He only tilts his head expressively, now. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE UP COMPLETELY EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP FIXING THAT STUPID TIME MACHINE!"

Somehow, it... Feels as if the tightness in Sans' soul eases just a little bit. Such a feat is once again achieved by none other than his brother. His thoughts start to race as he thinks back on all his notes, suddenly filled with ideas on how to otherwise utilize them.

Maybe Papyrus is right about this. Maybe there is _something_ he could do, something that doesn't require going back in time. He does have resources at the tips of his fingers – his own abilities, the time-bending anomaly, Alphys... And, like said, all his previous research.

Still, he reminds himself not to feel too optimistic at this point.

"you might be right about this," he starts carefully and feels tension leave his neck and shoulders. For a moment, his smile feels genuine. "now that you've got me lookin' at this differently, i think... well, i don't want to delve into it head-first just yet, but..."

Papyrus smiles, too. He feels far less worried.

"I'M SORRY IF IT SEEMED LIKE I DON'T BELIEVE IN YOU. BECAUSE I DO! BUT... IF YOU DO RUN INTO TROUBLE, YOU DON'T NEED TO HIDE IT FROM ME! I WANT TO BE THERE FOR YOU," he speaks, voice dripping with sincerety. Sans would probably cry if he could give himself permission for that kind of thing.

"thanks, papyrus. you're the coolest brother ever. i mean it."

"NYEH HEH HEH! DON'T MENTION IT!" the younger brother beams.

With those pleasantries, both honest and meaningful, their fight has come to an end. Because even if they argue, even seriously, they've never not patched it up in the long run.

But now that their relationship is mended, Sans has a plethora of other things to sort through. The thought exhausts him enough for him to take another nap, despite himself.


	32. Chapter 32

It's the afternoon of the same day the skeleton brothers have made up their fight, that Sans finds himself teleporting to Hotland.

Though he normally would simply march into Alphys' lab, this time he has half a mind to come back into existence behind her door instead. He is feeling better after solving his issues with Papyrus, but some soreness still lingers and has him in a more humble mood.

He walks through the sliding doors, and their sound immediately alerts Alphys to his presence.

"Wh-who's–"

Her eyes widen when Sans walks over to her computer table.

"Wow! Y-you didn't sc-scare me this time? Y-you actually l-listened?" she speaks in pure awe.

Maybe he should've teleported inside after all.

"was hopin' to stay on your good side today," Sans chuckles dryly. His eyelights drift to the side and his shoulders sink a bit, the actions betraying his true emotions. Alphys immediately notes the shift from his usual demeanor.

Though bewilderment momentarily decorates her face, she knows now not to comment on it when Sans chooses to show vulnerability. She's not close enough to him, and it doesn't look like he'll ever let her be.

"A-ah, I see. D-did you need s-something in particular?" she asks, then points to the escalator with one of her claws. "Th-the human is upstairs, if y-you needed th-them. They s-spent the night here."

"cool. i'll talk to them in a bit. but first i wanted to ask you somethin'," Sans replies with a wave of his hand. Alphys raises a brow. She's intrigued by the other monster's attitude.

"S-shoot."

.

The human is sitting on top of Alphys' bed, unfolded from its compact cube form, and is going through her surprisingly small manga collection. They've concluded it's likely much smaller than the anime one due to books and magazines getting soaked in the watery junkyard.

They've settled on a popular shonen-magazine, and are at the halfway point when they detect someone in the corner of their vision. Thinking it's probably Alphys, they finish the page they're on before actually looking up at the monster.

They shouldn't feel quite as surprised as they do upon seeing Sans walk up to them, smiling as wide as ever. He looks a bit more tired than usual, though, the human immediately notes.

"Uhm, hi Sans," they greet him bashfully and gently toss the manga aside, "You doing alright?"

He frowns at that the little bit that he can, then sighs as he easily gives in.

"just fine, kiddo," he informs them, "patched things up with pap, too."

"You did? That's good!" the human sighs out of relief, expression soft as they regard him with a brighter mood. "I'm so sorry for causing all that trouble..." they add meekly.

"not completely your fault, alright? i'm not mad at ya for that," he waves it off and considers taking a seat next to them. The fact that it's Alphys' bed makes him decide against it. "hey, i wanted to ask you if you... i wanted to ask you about stuff."

They avert their gaze for a moment, then climb to their feet and nod at him.

"Yeah, okay," the human allows with a shrug and pulls out their phone, "Just let me text Toriel if we're going somewhere."

"aww, letting mom know your whereabouts. cute," Sans teases and pokes at the human on their shoulder. They frown at him.

"Don't. I don't want her to worry."

Sans only snickers at how serious they sound. Honestly, he's glad that they're being considerate.

"hehe, anyway... yeah, we're goin' somewhere. text fast."

The human blinks at him, wondering about his mood. They decide to brush it off as a good thing and type out their message, then slip the phone into their pocket.

"all done? great."

In the next instance, everything goes black and air escapes the human's lungs. They're sure they let out a scream in surprise, but hear nothing. And a second later they're ungracefully landing onto the floor in different surroundings.

"AHH!" they shriek, catch their breath, then direct a sharp glare at Sans. "Oh my God! I told you that scares me, didn't I?"

That only earns a mischievous look from the skeleton.

"Ugh, forget it then," the human frowns as they gather themselves from the floor and dust off their pants.

Upon a closer look at their environment, they can see they're in Sans' lab again. Not the one in his basement, no – the other one they've only visited once before this. Their surprise shows on their face.

"Why here?" they soon question, facing Sans. He shrugs.

"why not?" he inquires casually, as if this isn't a show of his trust at all. "look. ya expressed you may be open to helping, and i'm giving you that chance."

They look wary now.

"But, what you asked for before, specifically..." they say carefully, averting their eyes. Sans shakes his head to interrupt that thought.

"don't worry. not askin' you for the impossible this time."

Huh. Oddly enough, that sounds promising.

Something about the room happens to catch the human's attention. It's a bit different from before. The previously pitch black doorframe by the wall looks like it leads somewhere now.

They furrow their brows and step a bit closer.

"Wh-wait, are we connected your basement?" they ask in shock, "How does that... You know what, nevermind. I'm getting kind of tired of asking questions."

"over your phase, are ya?" Sans chuckles and goes to fiddle with one of the machines in the center. The human turns their attention to him and casually studies what he does.

"anyway. we're gonna look into using you as a means for pullin' at certain threads in spacetime. not time travel, exactly. i'll explain the details eventually... and alphys promised to help out where she can."

The human raises a finger to their mouth as they attempt to grasp what they're being told. It quickly becomes apparent the clues for whatever Sans means to do just aren't enough, so they drop it.

"If I say 'yes', right?" they then remind, almost a little timid. Sans spares a glance to them, but he doesn't seem any more tense in comparison to before.

"chara," Sans soon starts unexpectedly, and the human's eyes widen, "is the only one who can time travel out of you two."

Frisk nearly jumps out of their skin. A moment later, they frown at him.

"What are you talking about? I'm the one doing it, though... W-we're the 'one'... Um... I'm doing it, too," they protest clumsily. They earn a tentative hum.

"nope, actually. when you die, or when you... _end_ yourself–"

And the human has to draw in a breath at the fact that Sans mentions it, that he knows exactly how they do it–

"–you're not going back in time, frisk. ya only remember it because of the determination in your soul. if we're talkin' technicalities, it's always chara doin' it. because souls can't actually do it the way you're doin' it.

"time travel needs an empty vessel that can host dt. chara, who from the sound of it doesn't have a soul of their own, uses your body as that kinda vessel."

For a good while, the human only stares at him. Is that true? Is that how it happens? But then–

"If you know that, why haven't you said anything earlier?" Their voice comes out a little weaker than intended. Sans stops fiddling with the machine to face them.

"didn't remember," he shrugs, as if it's the most ordinary thing. "your and _other people's_ time hoppin' has some _lovely_ consequences."

Their fingers flex as adrenaline coarses through them. They face the floor for a moment. The human dreads what they're about to say next.

"Um... What do you mean?"

They can already feel shame burning their cheeks.

"when gaster went ahead and erased himself from existence, everybody pretty much forgot everythin' about the whole timeframe of his life. me and pap didn't," he starts slowly, "but every time you or someone else with yer power overwrites memories, somethin' from our minds seems to get lost in the void, too.

"memories of gaster and anythin' that happened slightly in relation to him. when i looked back on my notes, it felt really weird. i didn't on any level remember some of the things i'd written, nor did i remember writin' them."

They look at him quietly for a moment, then eventually remember to close their mouth as they do.

"Really? I'm sorry," they say again. Even if they're uncertain if that word matters to Sans at all anymore. "I had no idea."

"that's 'cause i didn't tell ya," Sans shrugs it off.

A surprisingly comfortable silence settles for a moment.

Then...

"chara."

Frisk stills. Sans isn't looking at them, for he doesn't think it matters for what he's about to say.

"i know you're unhappy."

This time Frisk's intuition is right – he's addressing the other part of them, of "the human."

"that much is clear by now. i think there's a good chance you already know what ya need to make yourself that way, an' there's very little i can actually offer ya."

He lifts his head, but his gaze roams over the walls. A soft look is in his eyes.

"but while we're looking into this whole deal, maybe we'll find a way to help you out, too."

Sans doesn't say anything else after that. He waits a moment before he faces the paled, shocked human. He huffs out a small laugh.

"what're they sayin'?"

The human swallows, then looks down.

"N-nothing... They're... Laughing."

.

Sans is standing on the colorful tiles of Judgement Hall.

He's arrived here just before the "human", having followed them around and seen them dust every monster in their way. His hands are tucked deep in his pockets and his gaze is momentarily lowered to the floor.

 _It's almost time,_ he thinks, feeling the stress coil in his soul. Then, on cue, he sees the human enter the hallway in the other end. They can't see him yet, as he isn't _technically_ there.

 _Welp, this is it_... With his right hand, he brings out his phone from his pocket. He checks the readings, and his eye sockets widen.

So many spikes on his graph. The human has traveled back in time here, let's see, _one, two, three, four, five, six, seven_... He scrolls through it quickly, but the human is approaching. There's no way he can count all the times they've rewinded time that fast.

All the times he's killed them already.

He tucks away his phone and faces them with newfound confidence. As he pulls away from his place between dimensions and they come to see him again, he stares them down.

"let's just get to the point."

.

It's been a while now since the human has agreed to work with Sans on his project. The days pass easily enough, sometimes with Alphys' help in the lab. Papyrus visits him too, though he isn't particularly interested in the science of... Anything he's working on. But Sans appreciates it nevertheless.

Toriel and Asgore are still unhappily separated, and the latter keeps ruling the Underground. However, the former queen has still put her foot down considering certain laws regarding humans. That has made Frisk's life much easier, of course.

The door to the Ruins is open and the human lives with their "mom", as they've once or twice mistakenly called Toriel (to their own embarrasment). They haven't seemed _that_ reluctant about the idea, though...

Whenever the human isn't under Sans' scientific scrutiny, they spend their time with Undyne, Alphys, Papyrus and the rest of the monsters in the Underground. They're allowing time to go forward – Sans knows, because he keeps checking. Making sure. He still doesn't allow the human free passage to his lab, and he probably never will, but there's enough trust between them now.

That trust has brought out another interesting detail, too. The human has opened up about the possibility of breaking the Barrier, eventually. They know a way to do it, and Sans finds comfort in the fact that they're willing to lead everyone to the Surface when Chara feels ready.

Although, he wonders if that day will come.

He wonders about it especially on one particular day. He's been doing research on the human's physiology all afternoon. With Alphys, they've created a machine that aids in recognizing the structure and components in souls, and... Well, they're actually making a lot of progress. It's kind of exciting, Sans has to admit.

Since it's been a long day, he's finally given the human a break and let them out of the lab. They've gone through his basement door to Snowdin, saying they'll only take fifteen minutes.

By now it's been much more than fifteen minutes, and Sans is getting a little concerned.

He drops the data he's been going through, grabs his coat and retraces the human's steps outside. He walks up the stairs and pushes open the door, then exits the basement.

To his immediate relief, he sees the kid only a short distance away, standing in the snow at the corner of their house. Their back is turned to him, though, and... This distantly reminds him of something that's happened once before.

"hey, kid. whatcha doin' out here?" he calls out to them lightly, catching their attention.

Slowly, they turn just enough to face Sans. At first his eyelights catch onto their expression, the shame and the regret and the apologies painted all over for him to see–

But then they drop down to the human's hands. Specifically, to what they're holding there.

A bright red soul.

In that instant, Sans feels so many emotions hit him at once. All of his remaining depression weighs on his shoulders. The horrid fear of forgetting everything steals his breath away. All the wasted effort and motivation stings at his soul. And the seemingly inevitable break of trust feels like a slash across his chest.

"don't."

Though his voice breaks, it still isn't nearly enough to convey how he feels.

* * *

 _[A/N] The End...?_

 _Despite my doubts, I'm actually happy I've finished this fic. Thank you so much for reading, everyone. Please, please leave a review! I'd love to hear your thoughts._

 _I have another three chapter story finished with my Delta Rune induced headcanons now properly in place. I'll be posting that soon. I also started a oneshot collection under the title "Scattered."_

 _Gonna do some major cleanup on this story, too, but the plot and everything remains the same. Just getting rid of awkwardness._

 _That's it. See you all around~_


	33. Darkness

From the darkness, pops out a yellow flower.

"...

"This is what everything you do amounts to?

""Chara." I knew it was you! After all... We _are_ so alike. I'm so happy you finally admit that.

"Tell me... Was that knife ever really dropped from your hand?

"Don't act surprised. I'm not an IDIOT like the rest. You can't fool me by pulling all these strings. I know how it feels like to be a GOD.

"Toying with people is our right.

"Even if your Determination is much greater than mine...

"It's kind of sad, though... "Chara." How little you do with your power. It's nice to hear you speaking freely, but...

"There's

"so

"much

"more

"FUN

"we

"could

"have.

"...

"Well, I'll be seeing you around. Toodles."

The flower dives back into deep darkness.


	34. Chapter ?

**Chapter ?**

"..."

The flower has returned.

"So you've come back. I'm not all that surprised."

Its confused expression has molded into a grin, and if you didn't know this flower, you would find the smile perfectly innocent.

"After all, what is left for you after an ending like _that_? So disappointing, so empty.

"Could there be a more satisfying way to end things? I will spoil the fun for you:" and the flower's eyes go to darkness, stripping its face of any humanity, "There isn't. There will always be a reason for you to come back.

"You will never stop yearning for more. That is simply your nature."

It looks to the side and takes a moment to itself, as if to consider something.

"So, shall we go for one more round of pointlessness? Another dive into this dead end.

"It's your decision."

The flower winks at you before it disappears down below, where it came from.

.

The human stands where Determination last resonated through their being. Their breath turns into vapor at the inn of Snowdin, and they look forward, their eyes solemn.

"Why didn't we go all the way to the beginning, Chara?"

The spirit feels like nothing. They always feel like nothing. But they're always present.

"You told me you'd let me make them happy. You were willing to give up control."

" _I don't want to, anymore."_

Frisk looks to the ground, then crouches close to the snow. They wrap their arms around their knees and mutter this into their sleeves like the child they are:

"Then what do you want?"

There is no answer. The human sits still for a while before they stand back up, and their shoulders slump. They start walking through the snow, over the familiar path toward the familiar house.

.

Sans steps through the basement door and faces the fields of white outside. His thoughts are being ebbed with concern, but he's pushing that aside as he strides past the structure of his house.

He reaches the corner when he already spots the person he's looking for heading toward him. He supresses the sigh of relief that almost wants to come.

"hiya there, kid."

His tone is nothing short of casual, but when the child gets closer, he notices something particular in their expression. They're not quite smiling, and they have trouble looking straight at him. _They've done something wrong,_ he immediately knows. His chin lowers slightly, judging.

The human comes to a stop, and they rub at their upper arm in a nervous manner. Silence reigns while Sans waits for them to speak up.

"I..."

They consider starting with a sorry, but they've long since realized that is the furthest from what Sans wants to hear.

"I went back in time."

The human stands up straight and faces the monster. It's done, and there's no reason to beat around the bush.

Sans is still wholly unreadable, and doesn't seem taken aback when he answers, either.

"why?"

They resist cringing at themselves and the awkward manner they must come off.

"I was planning on going back to the moment I fell into the Underground... To change everything."

Again, silence, and then another: "why?"

"Because Chara said that..."

The human poked at the ground with the tip of one of their shoes, and their gaze followed its movement.

"This is a dead end. The things that need to happen in order to free monsterkind, they're not sure they can happen here. And they had lost interest in what would happen to this timeline. So they wanted to go back and start over."

"and you just do as they say?"

Frisk looks up, but can't hold Sans' gaze for long. His lack of reaction unsettles them.

"I've been afraid to admit it, but... That's all I can do," they begin, swallowing, "I was never in control. It's Chara, it's always been Chara. And, I think... It will always be Chara."

" _You can't change that."_

The silence reigns a little longer. Sans looks to the ground blankly, then back up at the human in front of him.

"and what are you going to do now?"

Words feel like ash, but he speaks them to the wind anyway. Even specks of dust eventually return in the world he lives in.

The human shrugs.

"I'm going to continue."

It's then that footsteps become audible to the both of them, and the human and monster turn to look who approaches the house. It's the taller and younger of the two skeletons, wearing a t-shirt and shorts despite the freezing weather.

"AH, WHAT A STYLISH CHOICE OF OUTWEAR, HUMAN!"

That has become the standard greeting for Papyrus whenever he sees Frisk wearing the winter coat he's fashioned. They smile at him for a moment before averting their gaze, but Papyrus is slow to pick up on the atmosphere.

"I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM MEETING MY VERY GOOD FRIEND, UNDYNE! I JUST WANTED TO INFORM YOU THAT I WILL NOT BE MAKING DINNER FOR YOU TWO: IT IS FAR TIME YOU REPAY MY KINDNESS AND RETURN THE FAVOR. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE RUDE AFTER ALL, DO YOU?"

"making dinner sounds like too much trouble. i think i'll go to grillby's instead."

Sans shrugs at his brother, and because it's Sans, you wouldn't even be able to tell that things were tense between him and the human only a moment ago.

Papyrus frowns at him.

"SO YOU DO WISH TO BE RUDE? IT DOES NOT ONLY APPLY TO QUESTS! BROTHERS CAN BE RUDE, TOO!"

"well, geez, you sure know how to antagonize me."

His tone was, of course, neutral. Papyrus opens his mouth and leans forward like he's about to make a point, but gives up on it and sighs instead.

"WHAT ABOUT YOU, HUMAN? DO YOU INTEND TO BE LAZY?"

They shake their head softly.

"I can make dinner. It's only fair."

Papyrus' expression brightens at that. He doesn't have time to say anything before he's interrupted, though.

"nope. you're on timeout."

The other two turn to Sans, surprise tangible in the air.

"bad kids don't get to play. go home to tori. we're eating out tonight."

" _So that's how he's gonna be."_

Frisk doesn't quite share Chara's resolve.

"What?"

Sans doesn't spare them a glance, and Papyrus looks conflicted. He keeps flicking his attention between Sans and the human, uncertain what to say.

"bye, chara. learn to act nice for next time."

There's momentary darkness before the human's monster friends are gone. They stand there stupidly blinking for a while, staring at the spot Sans has just stood in.

.

"So who are we spying on today, huh?!"

Undyne's voice is as rough as ever while she manhandles Alphys, pulling her closer by her shoulders. That causes the lizard's face to turn a shade darker.

"A-ah! Spying i-is a bit of a... A c-crude word for it! I p-prefer thinking of it a-as, w-well... Watching a h-hero's journey!"

"This is one for the history books, ay?"

Undyne cackles for a moment before she releases her friend and turns to the screen she was following.

"Sorry to pop in without notice! I just needed, um..."

She's forgotten her excuse and quickly changes the topic again.

"What are they doing?"

It seems Alphys is monitoring Snowdin. Specifically, Frisk. They're talking to Papyrus and Papyrus' older brother, Undyne immediately notes, but the sound is turned off. Alphys must've muted the feed when she first walked into the lab.

"I-I lost t-track. But I think they w-were arguing about s-something."

Undyne can't tell if Alphys is being truthful, but it doesn't matter. Technically it isn't her business, anyway. (Nor is it Alphys', but she's not going to tell her that.)

"That doesn't sound fun. I should go beat some sense into them!"

Her declaration is fierce, but she almost seems to forget about it in the next moment.

"But anyway, since I'm here and not there... Didn't you say a few days ago that you have a new anime I might like?"

The Captain has turned sheepish. Alphys' eyes light up.

"O-oh, yes! It's about–"

"Wait, why did it go bl–WOAH!"

"Huh?"

Both monsters are staring at the screen, Undyne much more intensely than the confused Alphys. Her confusion doesn't last long when she notices Frisk is alone. For whatever reason, Sans must've done his thing – and Undyne has witnessed the event.

"What just happened?! They just... Disappeared!"

She turns to Alphys, looking for answers. The yellow lizard is at a loss for several seconds.

"Oh–um, what did... Um, I d-didn't see, s-so..."

The Royal Guard shows a hint of hurt in her expression, and she even takes half a step backwards. It's as if she's seen something in the scientist that she hasn't before, and it immediately scares said scientist into talking. _Undyne is the one thing she can't lose,_ not even a little bit.

"W-wait! I...!" she takes a breath, chews on her claws, then continues: "I'm sorry! I-I didn't m-mean to s-seem like I m-mistrust you, Undyne! But I–he..."

The fish monster's hurt expression disappears the moment she detects the panic in Alphys, and she pulls her to her chest.

"Shh, it's okay. I didn't mean... Ugh, I just..."

Undyne frowns deeply.

"I've never seen that kind of magic before!" she suddenly exclaims, pulling away from Alphys in order to growl at the screen. "I don't trust him, I really don't. If he wasn't Papyrus' brother, I would beat him up!"

Alphys shows a concerned expression and Undyne calms ever so slightly.

"Okay, I wouldn't beat him up. But I don't like how he keeps secrets. And he's unreliable, too."

"I-I don't, um... Find t-that to be the c-case."

Alphys looks down at her claws while she fiddles with them. Undyne turns to her, her eyes wide. She can tell there's more to what has just been said, and she's taken by surprise.

"H-how should I p-put this..." Alphys begins, knowing full well she has to say something, "W-we're f-friends. And Sans has h-helped me w-with some things... Um, t-that are not so important n-now."

Undyne wonders if it has something to do with the Amalgamates that have been set free, but doesn't bring it up. Another secret to his growing pile.

"I-I just hope t-that you won't d-dismiss him, you know?"

There's a very brief silence before Undyne sighs and slumps into Alphys' unoccupied computer chair.

"I won't. I wouldn't've anyway. I'm the head of the Royal Guard! I do take my responsibilities seriously... He's my employee, too. He's part of my responsibilities."

Undyne frowns again at the thought. Alphys feels tension leave her.

"R-right! Well, I'm g-glad... That's all I w-wanted to hear."

She considers her next words in the calmed silence.

"H-he keeps secrets, but i-if I know him a-at all, it's for g-good reason. S-so..." she shifts her weight from side to side, "I'd just l-let it go. S-sometimes that's the... B-best thing to do?"

Alphys finds herself suddenly lost in her own words. She's accidentally said something that might hold more meaning than initially intended.

Undyne's silence speaks of the same thing. And after that silence is over, she seems fully ready to change the topic.

"Right.

"Again, since we're here... Let's just watch that anime, huh?"

Alphys is happy to agree.

* * *

 _[A/N] Saw a video on writing. I now know what I got wrong, so I'll fix it. After that, I should be able to move on from this story._


End file.
